Lovely 25
by misty23y
Summary: Starts where Hardcore 24 left off. In this story, Ranger decides to let Stephanie know that he is willing to have a committed, long-term relationship. Meanwhile, Joe decides that he is ready to change their status from "engaged to be engaged" to engaged. As Stephanie makes her decision to try to find happiness, a skip turns out to be her biggest nightmare. Sexual abuse. Babe story.
1. Chapter 1--The Pay-Up

Chapter 1: The Pay-Up

It was only two nights. I don't know why I was stressing out so much. Who am I kidding? I had to spend two nights with Ranger, two nights that would not be spent doing surveillance, playing poker, or Monopoly. It would be two nights spent predominately in his big, luxurious king-sized bed engaged in magic.

As much as I am really looking forward to holding up my end of the bargain, I am also scared. Ranger has a way to make me forget about Joe Morelli, my Trenton cop boyfriend who is 6'0" of Italian libido. He has great brown hair that is always in need of a haircut, a slim, muscular body and probably the best ass in town. We were in a contented stage in our long term on-again, off-again relationship. We occasionally spend the night together, but still always managed to return to our separate residences. I keep a few clothes, tampons, and a toothbrush at his house, and he keeps condoms in my apartment. But aside from that, we are mostly living alone. Joe has a house that he inherited from his Aunt Rose, and has slowly been making it his own, and a big, goofy dog named Bob. He recently got rid of the dining room set and added a pool table in its place.

Ranger, whose name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso, is an ex-army Ranger, former bounty hunter, and current owner of the elite RangeMan Security. He provides security services to many high-end commercial companies and private individuals. He is Cuban American and about two inches shorter than Joe, but has more muscles. His body has not even a single ounce of fat on it anywhere. And he also has one of the best asses in Trenton. Ranger is my mentor, my friend, my occasional boss, and has been my lover on a few extremely memorial nights. He once said to me that he would ruin me for all other men. With each time that we engage in the bedroom workout, I can admit that he is slowly ruining me. He is magical in bed. A while back, I helped Ranger with one of his clients. He owned an ice cream factory and we initially thought he was killed. We soon realized that he was in Disney with his wife and daughter. I accompanied Ranger to Florida to get him, and while we were there, I had a Tinkerbell moment and we spent one amazing, night together. There has always been a sexual tension between Ranger and I, and we are both always flirting with each other, but this tension has been building more intense lately. I'm not quite sure why. Then, in a moment of weakness during a wannabe Zombie attack, when I didn't have a car (for the millionth time), I made a deal with Ranger. He would give me a car, and if I went one week without it being destroyed, it was mine, free and clear. If I destroyed it in anyway, I would owe Ranger one night. Well, my car got destroyed, then Ranger gave me a second one, and we went double or nothing. I lost. This is why I am here, sitting at the bar on Stark Street waiting for my mark and trying not to hyperventilate.

My name is Stephanie Plum, and I am a bond enforcement agent, also known as a bounty hunter. I blackmailed my sleazy cousin Vinnie into giving me this job after I was laid off as a lingerie buyer and had no money. I've been working as a BEA for a few years, and while I am not the greatest bounty hunter ever, I usually, after about five attempts, get my fugitive. Except for those times when I enlist the help of Ranger. Then, it is easy as pie, because Ranger makes bounty hunting look simple. I'm trying to pick up Max Perez, who is out on a high bond for attempted murder. He was a first-time offender who got a sympathetic judge. He claims he was trying to protect his girlfriend from an unwanted advance. He is also a low-level drug dealer who is constantly surrounding by security, so I have been unable to take him back into custody. Therefore, I called Ranger. Every Thursday night, Max goes to this bar to pick up his woman of the week. His girlfriend works on Thursday nights, and he uses that night as an opportunity to cheat on her. I was wearing a tight-fitting, low cut, short red dress with 4-inch FMPs in red. I had about 3 layers of mascara on my eyes, a little liner, and red lipstick that matched the dress. I had my curly, brown, usually unruly hair down in soft curls. I was waiting for Max to approach me, so i could get him to take me outside where Ranger would move in and apprehend him for me.

Ranger, his team, and I met at RangeMan, and when Ranger first looked at me in this dress, I knew I was in trouble. His eyes dilated black and as he looked me up and down. I usually wear a slutty black dress when doing distractions, but I was in the mood for color tonight. I figured I'd meet Joe after we were done, and I knew that he loved this dress, as he was with me when I bought it. I didn't think of Ranger's reaction, and now I see that this was going to be complicated. He escorted me into his office to secure the wire. As he put the wire on under my bra, he said two words to me, "Tonight, Babe" before giving me an earth-shattering kiss that made me weak. I looked at him, and I knew better than to try to back out. "Suspect is approaching, be ready" I hear Ranger in my ear and I get ready to play the role.

"Shot of Tequila, vodka rocks, and something for the lady in red." Max says to the bartender.

"Another Corona, thanks." I smile at Max. I have long ago learned to stick with beer during these distractions. Much easier to avoid getting drugged when I could see the bottle being opened by the bartender.

"Are you here alone?" Max inquired, while mentally undressing me with his eyes. I am mentally rolling my eyes and trying to hold back my gag reflex.

"Yes. I was supposed to meet my boyfriend here about 45 minutes ago, but I guess he stood me up." I say while glancing at my watch. "I swear, this is the last time that I let that creep get away with standing me up. I mean, I rushed home from work, got myself all fix up for him, wore this stupid dress that he loves, and then he doesn't bother to show or call. What an ass!"

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. My name is Max."

"Stephanie." I shake his hand, but he takes my hand in his, and kisses it. I can see how he manages to get women, he is a charmer. He has dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and café au lait complexion. "I hope, maybe, we can get to know each other a bit, that is, if you are not meeting anyone here yourself." I say while batting my eyelashes.

"I would love to get to know you better." Our drinks arrive, he downs his tequila, and starts on the vodka. I take a swig of beer. He reaches over and puts his hand on my leg and starts to move it up my thigh. I gently and playfully bat his hand away. "Aren't we a little adventurous? There are too many people around for my comfort."

"So, we can go outside and get to know each other better, either in the alley, in my car, or my home. Do you have a preference?"

"Well, let's just go outside and take it from there", I say as I down the rest of my beer. I grab his hand, place it around my waist, and start to bring him outside. He downs his vodka and follows. Once we get outside, I move his arm away from me and made like I am going to kiss him. It is at that moment that Ranger cuffs him. "Bond enforcement. You missed your day in court. We'll help you get back there now."

Ranger passes him off to Tank. "Take the paperwork, bring him to the station, and get the body receipt for Steph. I'm taking her home. Good job guys." We watch as Tank and Hal leave with Max, and as Lester, Cal, Miguel and Hector all get into their cars and drive away. Typically, we would be first to go, but Ranger is waiting for some reason.

Ranger takes my hand and pulls me towards him. He give me a kiss that is deep, intense, full of passion and desire, so when we stop for a breathe he whispers in my ear "I hope your rested." He walks me over to his Porsche 911 Turbo and leans me against the car. He puts his hand inside the top of my dress to remove the wire he placed there earlier and was rubbing and squeezing my nipples while he had his knee between my legs. He kisses me again and I immediately feel warmth flow throughout my body. I moan. "You want me bad, don't you, Babe." Ranger is always so controlled, he never puts on this much of a display in public. Even though I'm a little bit of a prude when it comes to public displays of affection, I can't help but be so completely turned on.

"No, not at all." I try to seem disinterested and nonchalant, but I don't think I pull it off. I am barely able to catch my breath and I am on the verge of having an orgasm right there and then. I know that I am playing with fire.

"Well, I guess I'll have to work on that." With that, Ranger pulls away from me, opens the door, puts me into the car, buckles me in, kisses me again, closes my door and walks to his side and gets in the car. WTF! I don't know why he suddenly stopped. I mean, he almost had me. He starts to drive away, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. I am working hard to calm down. I need a cold shower desperately. Halfway back to his home at the RangeMan headquarters and my apartment, he pulls over and parks the car, then he grabs my face, and gives me a kiss that makes me forget everything. He's fondling my breasts, and kissing my neck. "Your place or mine?"

I know that if I say my place, there was a way that I could back out of the deal tonight, but that isn't likely. My queen size bed is not as conducive to our needs as his king size bed with is great sheets. Plus, he has a better shower and that shower gel. "Your place," I replied, "quickly."

With that, I see him smile and he pulls away from the curb. We arrive at the building and the gates open for his car. He parks the car, jumps out and opens the door for me. He pulls me out of the car and into another mind-numbing kiss against his car. He repeated what he did outside the bar. He once again pulls back from me and starts to drag me towards the elevator. We get on and he jams the cameras while hitting number 7. Ranger, who is always so in control, is out of control, and it is great. He is reaching under my dress with his hand and has my panties off of me before the doors closed. He is reaching for the zipper on the back of the dress and is practically pulling the dress off me before the doors open to his apartment. He can't get his door open fast enough. Once we are inside, he throws down his keys on the counter, drops his gun belt, and undresses me and pushes me against the door in under 90 seconds. He is fast and furious, with his kisses, his hands, and his body pushed against me. He pushes me against the door. I am pulling off his clothes a fast as I could. I want him so badly. He lifts me up and puts himself inside me. He is kissing me, with one arm wrapped around my waist and the other around my neck. He is pushing himself inside me fast, but then slows down before going fast again. I could feel myself reaching my first climax, and I couldn't help but run my nails up and down his back. I am kissing his neck and moaning. Finally, we both release ourselves. Ranger holds me against the wall until we both catch our breath a little, then he gently puts me down. He takes my hand and leads me to the bedroom, to his bed where we start again, but this time slow and gentle. It reminds me of our first night together, where we made quick, passionate love before he slowed down and showed me a gentler side. Whichever way Ranger wants to go, he is still magic.

I wake up the next morning to his watch alarm. We are tangled in his sheets, Ranger naked and me with just his t-shirt on. "Morning Babe." Ranger pulls me over and starts to kiss me again.

"I see you are fully awake and at attention." I said while reaching down to stroke him. I straddled Ranger and decide to start the day off with exercise.

Two hours later, we are sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast together. "Babe, thank you for last night and this morning. I'm sorry if I was a little rough, but, seeing you in that dress last night." He shook his head and sighed. "I love you, Babe." He said softly.

I get up and sit on his lap. I give him a kiss, and say "I love you, too, Ranger. More than I thought I could ever love someone." I freeze when I realize what I said. Ranger's eyes opened wide and he starts to smile. I am panicking. I can't believe I just told Batman that I loved him! When did this happen? Oh, my goodness! What was going to happen? I try to jump up, but Ranger holds me in his lap.

"You love me?" He asked, incredulously.

I sigh, "Yes. And it scares the shit out of me."

Ranger looks into my eyes, and it seemed like he is trying to figure out what to say. I am bracing for the heartbreaking blow. "I know that I have often told you that marriage was out of the question. I know that I told you that I loved you in my own way. I know that I have pushed you back to Morelli on more than one occasion. I know that I have told you that I carry two guns and a knife." He starts to tell me. I feel the tears coming. I know this is going to be the point when he tells me that what he feels for me is only sexual and that he is going to have to end our friendship. He is going to ask for the key fob back. He is going to leave my life. "The truth is, Babe, I cannot live without you. I need you in my life. I need you in my arms. I need to comfort you. I need to keep you safe. I realized when we were in Disney just how much I love you, and that I want you to be a permanent part of my life. I know that you and Morelli are on again. I know that he loves you and you love him. But, I would like the opportunity, when and if you and Morelli are off again, to be the one and only man in your life."

I am shocked. This is not the admission that I was expecting. I just stare at him, open-mouth, and take a deep breath. "Does this mean that you will possibly consider marriage and a family sometime down the line?" I asked.

"If my marriage is to you and my children are your children, then yes. I am open to the idea of being married again."

I am so happy. Batman wants me. Batman loves me and will consider being my husband. I kiss Ranger. Needless to say, we didn't manage to leave his apartment that day or night.

Saturday morning arrives. Ranger and I enjoy our breakfast together. He is dressed and is getting ready to go down to the control room. I feel a little awkward about leaving, especially since I knew that all the men working were aware that Ranger and I arrived in his apartment Thursday night and didn't emerge until today. Especially after knowing that he scrambled the camera feed in the elevator before we reached his apartment. I sigh.

"You know the men know every time you stay here or I stay with you. You know they assume that we have had sex before. Why are you embarrassed suddenly?"

"It's because you lost your control. We practically did it against your car in the garage and then again in the elevator. Usually, we are calm, cool and collected on the outside." I replied.

"Babe, they won't look at you any differently. They all love and respect you. I guarantee that if we were to end our friendship, most of my men would defend you and would beat up me…or at least try to." He laughed. "Many of them view you as their sister." He added after seeing the confused expression on my face.

"Well, I always wanted a brother." I said with a smirk.

"Have you checked any of your messages since you got here?"

"No. You have been keeping me too busy to worry about messages." He hands me my charged phone. I turn it on and see I have four voice messages, all from Joe. I had completely forgotten about Joe. Crap. I had left off with him that I would see him after the distraction. I never made it to him and never called. I pressed play for message one. Thursday, 11:02 p.m. " **Hi Cupcake. Good job on Max Perez. I know that he was a big bond. Call me when you're on your way home. We can celebrate!"** Friday, 8:00 a.m. **"Hi Cupcake. What happened? I waited at your apartment. Did you go to my house? Give me a call when you get a chance. Maybe we can meet up for lunch at Pino's."** Friday, 12:08 p.m. **"Hey, Steph, where are you? I'm starting to get worried. I can't meet you for lunch. I just caught a case. I'm not sure when I'll be able to see you. Hopefully, tonight. I spoke to Connie. She said you haven't been yet. Please call or text. I just want to know you're alright. Bye, Cupcake."** Friday, 2:45 p.m. **"Why were you working with Ranger last night? Why were you wearing that dress, and why was he kissing you? And why were his hands all over your body! You better not be at RangeMan!"** Fuck!

I put my head down in my hands and try to compose myself. Joe found out. How? Ranger's men would never rat us out. No one was in the back of the bar. Max wasn't around for that part of the debriefing. How did Joe find out? At that moment, I hear the intercom and Ranger's voice. "Babe, you have a visitor. Please come down to conference room 2. It's Morelli. He knows you are here. I'm stalling him."

I leave the safety of Ranger's apartment and go down to the fifth floor. I say hi to the guys at the control desks and walked into conference room 2. Ranger was there, Joe still hadn't been brought up. "I wanted to make sure you were here before him. Do you want me to stay with you?" Ranger asked.

"No. I need to face him on my own. He knows I've been here since Thursday. He suspects, no he _knows_ that we have slept together. Somehow, he knows what happened outside the bar on Thursday between you and me. He left me a message."

Ranger had the start of a smile. I could tell he thought this was a good thing. I know that this is an opportunity for me to give Ranger a chance in a relationship, but I am annoyed at myself. I don't want to hurt Joe and didn't start off with that as my goal. "Should I have Cal bring him up?"

"Yes. I'm as ready as I'll ever be." I sigh. Ranger walks over to me, takes my hands in his, and looks me tenderly in the eyes. "Whatever you want, whatever your chose, whoever you chose, I just want you to be happy. I'll be in my office if you need me. I love you, Babe." He gives me a soft, tender kiss that felt so much more intimate than some of our much deeper and passionate kisses. We only break away when we hear a throat clear behind us.


	2. Chapter 2--Joe

Chapter 2: Joe's Heartbreak—From Joe's POV

Finally, all my paperwork is finished. I check my phone for any messages. I see a text from Stephanie. **I'm going after Max Perez tonight. Don't worry, I have back-up. See you later**.

Sigh. I guess it'll just be me and Bob tonight. My dog is always waiting for me. I text her back. **Go get him, Cupcake. Maybe I'll see you when you're done.**

She replied **Sounds good.**

I decide to go to Pino's to pick up a couple of meatball subs. As I'm driving over, I decide to surprise Stephanie at her apartment. I go and pick up Bob, go to Pino's, and get the food. I bring it back to her place. It's 9:30, and she should be done soon. I asked Miller, whose on the desk tonight, to let me know when Max is brought in by Stephanie. Then I can prepare. I sit and watch TV. I'm so nervous. I can't believe that I'm ready to give Stephanie a ring. An engagement ring, to be exact. I have always loved her, since she was six and I was eight. Then, when I decided to join the Navy, I knew that I needed to experience Stephanie Plum. I was a player. I had sex with any girl I could. I didn't really love any of them. I really like Terry Grizzoli, but I never loved her. The night before I left, my mom was throwing a goodbye party for me. She sent me into Tasty Pastry to pick up cannoli. I walked in at closing and found that Stephanie was the only one there. I wanted her badly. I wanted her to be the last girl from the Burg that I would be with. I wanted to make love to her. She looked so cute with flour on her shirt. I just locked the door and had her on the floor. She was the best, even then. Now, I know it wasn't right, but I did write about her everywhere. I knew the she would get the bad reputation, and I did it so she would be available for me when I returned. But then when I did return, she ran me over with her Buick. I really can't blame her. We never traveled in the same circles, she was a good girl and I was still the bad boy Morelli. Then, she got married to Dickie Orr. I knew that marriage was doomed, but I wasn't yet ready to commit. She came out of that marriage scared and scarred. Still, I was by now a cop and was trying to reform my ways. Besides, I still had Terry, who was divorced herself, to help keep me satisfied.

Then, there was whole fiasco with Carmen Sanchez and Jimmy Alpha. I was a FTA and she started working as a bounty hunter. When I saw her naked in the shower and I cuffed her to her shower rod, I was really tempted to take her again, but I was too angry. She stole my car, she was making my life hell, and kept finding my hiding spots. I knew then, though, that she was the only one for me. The past few years have been crazy, though. When we are together and happy, life is great. I love when we are "on." Sex with her is great, though she does have a few hang ups. She won't do doggy style, she doesn't give good BJs, and she doesn't have enough stamina, unless she is off sugar. I hate her job. Actually, it's not the job title I hate, I hate that she does it. She is always in danger. I'm always afraid that I'm going to get a call that she dead. She has been kidnapped, shot, stabbed, locked in coffins, thrown off bridges, and gets her cars blown up and her apartment firebombed. I want her to work a safer job. But she is too stubborn. Maybe this ring will help her to see she needs to quit this job.

I decided to start setting the mood. I want to surprise her. I put out some candles and leave the flowers on the coffee table. My phone rings. "Hey Miller. What's up?"

"Morelli, you asked to let you know when Max was brought in. He's here, but Ranger's guys brought him in. Tank and Hal. They got the body receipt in Stephanie's name and the paperwork is written out to her. They just left."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow."

I wait. Ten minutes go by, twenty, thirty. Where could she be? Maybe she's getting a late dinner. Maybe she's waiting for me at home. It's 11 o'clock, let me call her. Voicemail, damn. I leave her a message. "Hi Cupcake. Good job on Max Perez. I know that he was a big bond. Call me when you're on your way home. We can celebrate!"

I try my house, no answer. At least I know that she's not at my house. I shut off her apartment lights and kept watch for her car in the parking lot through the window.

Sunlight was shining in the window. It was 6:30. I get up to look for Stephanie. She's not home. It doesn't look like she ever came home last night. I just hope that she wasn't with Ranger all night. Maybe she went to her parents or fell asleep at my house. I check my phone. It's dead. I forgot to charge it. I get Bob and the candles and we head home. I arrive home. I don't see her car, but that doesn't mean anything. She could have gotten dropped off. Ranger has dropped her off here on several occasions. I open the door and look for evidence of her. No bag, no shoes, no nothing. I walk upstairs and look in my bed. Empty. Sigh. Time to get ready for work.

Before I leave for work I call her, its 8 am. I leave her another message. "Hi Cupcake. What happened? I waited at your apartment. Did you go to my house? Give me a call when you get a chance. Maybe we can meet up for lunch at Pino's."

My cell rings and I answer. "Hello."

 _"We have two bodies in a shallow grave off Route 1. They have been identified as two of Max Perez's goons. Max was taken into custody last night after being FTA. It looks suspicious."_

"Alright, I'll be right there." Jeez Cupcake, what did you get yourself into. I hope her being MIA has nothing to do with Max and his goons.

After arriving at the scene, we decide to retrace their steps. We travel around Trenton questioning people and picking up surveillance videos. It looks like I'm going to have a long day ahead of me pouring over hours upon hours of video. It's usually crappy video and mundane. We bring in a couple of pizzas from Pino's and start to look at the videos. I realize that I'm not going to meet Stephanie for lunch after all and call to let her know. Her phone rings, but still no answer. I leave another message. "Hey, Steph, where are you? I'm starting to get worried. I can't meet you for lunch. I caught a case. I'm not sure when I'll be able to see you. Hopefully tonight. I spoke to Connie. She said you haven't been in yet. Please call or text. I just want to know you're alright. Bye, Cupcake."

After an hour, Carl Constanza, and uniform we have helping us, calls me. "Morelli, you may want to take a look at your girlfriend in action."

She was doing a distraction, wearing a low cut, short and tight red dress with shoes that made me want to eat her. Her hair was down and was actually tame for once and she was wearing red lipstick. I needed to get her into that dress again, but for me only, I thought. I didn't enjoy watching her flirt and allowing Max to touch her, but I knew that she was only play acting. I could see in her eyes that she was disgusted. We watched them walk towards to back. We switched to the outside cameras and saw Ranger's team in action. Ranger grabbed Max and cuffed him without any problems. He handed Max off to Tank and spoke to him. Probably telling him to bring him in for Stephanie. I saw the rest of the team leave while Ranger walked over to Stephanie. I watched as he walked her over to his car, backed her against it, and reached into her dress to pull out the wire. I watched him kiss her and she kiss him back. I watched them grope each other before breaking away. I watched him lead her to his car. He actually buckled her in! And, she allows it. He spend too much time leaning over her in his car. I could tell that he wasn't just talking. Then he got out and I could see the look in his eyes. He wanted her bad. He got in his side and drove off.

I am so angry. I am embarrassed. Joe Morelli, bad boy turned good cop, desired by most of the women in Trenton, dating one of the most desired women in Trenton (not that Stephanie even realized how many men wanted her), being made a fool, all on video in front of his friends and colleagues. I pick up my cup and throw it across the room. Nobody looks him in the eye or says anything.

"Joe, I'm sure there is an explanation for this. I know Steph loves you." Carl tries to console and calm me down.

"The only explanation is that she has been playing me with him."

"Oh shit." Big Dog said.

"Now what?" I replied.

"Ranger's Porsche stopped by the where the bodies were dumped. There is clear video of the inside of the car."

"Please tell me he's on camera dumping bodies."

"No, it's much worse, at least for you."

I look at the video. You could clearly see them inside the car. He pulled her to him and kissed her. He was touching her breast, and it looked like he was touching her elsewhere. There were near the turn off, to her apartment or his. He asked her a question. She responded, and he smiled. He kissed her again, before he sped off towards RangeMan.

"Sonnavbitch". I couldn't believe what I saw. While she was making out in his car I was waiting for her to propose. I pull the box out of my pocket and open it up, revealing the one and a half carat round solitaire diamond on a white gold wedding band. I wanted it to be bigger and more extravagant for Stephanie, but I couldn't afford anything like that. I drop it on the table and walk out of the room. I hear the talk as soon as the door closed.

"Holy cow. I can't believe that was all on camera. Did you see the way he kissed her? I swear, that was so hot." Carl said.

"I can't believe Morelli was so calm in here. I would've destroyed this room." Big Dog added.

Carl sighed. "I never would have thought that Stephanie would be the one to cheat."

"Come on, you can't be surprised that she hooked up with Ranger. There's heat when she's with Morelli and when I've seen them kiss there's a spark, but have you ever seen her with Ranger? Remember when he was shot after his daughter was kidnapped? She was practically inconsolable. And when he rescued her after she was thrown off the bridge? And after her cars blow up? She melts in his arms and he puts out this aura of calmness and power and love. It's so intense. I don't think this is their first time together, either. There is so much fire between them that this had to have happened before. But, I don't think it ever happened during one of her and Morelli's 'on' periods. I've seen her when they were off and I know that she was getting some, and it wasn't from Joe." Eddie Gazzarra added.

Suddenly, they all seemed to see the box and the ring on the table. "Oh shit! He was going to propose!" Eddie exclaimed.

"He still might." Big Dog added. "I would if I were him. Best way to see where you stand. It's a nice ring, but it would be hard to compete with anything Ranger could get her."

"But, do you think Ranger is the type of man for commitment? I certainly don't think so. I think she just has to get him out of her system. "Carl said. "She's always been hot for Morelli. Even after he wrote about her on bathrooms all over town."

They hear the door knob and all went back to work quietly. I reenter the room, grab the box, and put it back in his pocket. "I'm going off the clock for an hour. I need a break." I walked back out of the room, to my car, and called Stephanie. Voicemail again. This time, I'll leave her message letting her know that I know where she's been and what she's been doing. If I don't hear from her, I'll go to RangeMan and confront her and the bastard Ranger. I call and leave another message. "Why were you working with Ranger last night? Why were you wearing that dress, and why was he kissing you? Any why were his hands all over your body? You better not be at RangeMan!"

I drive home and pick up Bob. I go to the park with him. I need time to think without interruptions. Bob walking was the answer. I keep thinking back to all the times I told her we were engaged to be engaged. What the hell does that even mean? Did I push her too far, to hard? Did I push her to Ranger? I thought about what the guys were saying about the way Stephanie and Ranger interact. I thought back to Scrog. When I was an FTA, she hunted me like I was an animal. I was a cop, not a thug. I wasn't a criminal, but she still hunted me. When Ranger went FTA, she refused to take his case. She worked to prove his innocence. She worked to find out as much as she could about the Ramos family and Stolle. When she needed to hide out or be in a safe place she always went to him. I know that she didn't have sex with him all those times, but I could tell they both wanted it. I was often forced to work alongside him to keep her safe, and I hated it. I hated that he was better at keeping her safe that she relied on him so much. I wanted her to rely on me. But, she is such a disaster. Always in the middle of things; blown up cars, funeral homes, landing in garbage, dog poop, food fights, the list goes on and on. But, she's my Cupcake, soft, sweet and good to eat. She is the only girl I have ever had sex with where I didn't wear a condom. That first time, there was a part of me that was hoping she would get pregnant. I try to take her in the shower as much as possible, because that is the only time she doesn't insist on a condom. I want her to have my children. I want her to be my wife. And a feel that if she was pregnant with my child, then she would be mine forever.

I still wonder about Hawaii. I know that Ranger was with her for a few days before I got there. I can't imagine them not having sex in that private cottage. I priced out that room when I got back. It was $4,000 a night! I can't compete with him. I don't make that kind of money. I know her family wants her to marry me. I know my family wants me to marry her. The Burg wants us to be married already. Only she doesn't realize it.

I was trying to see if I could pinpoint when she had sex with him. I think the first time was when she was searching for Evelyn and Anne Soder. I don't think anything else happened until my Grandma Bella put her under the vordo curse. She was insatiable. I don't she was able to resist him then. I know again in Hawaii. I think they may have been together when she spend the night with him in Florida to get Bogart. It really made no sense for them to spend the night, but they did. I suspect that they were together again during the Zombie apocalypse, but I can't be sure. We were together most of those times, in what I thought was a somewhat committed relationship. But considering all the nights she spend in his apartment and with him in various hotel rooms, I guess it wasn't that bad. I mean, it's true. I haven't been faithful to her. I have strayed myself. But never with the same person. I have slept with Joyce, Terry, Connie, Valerie, and Mary Lou. Mostly Terry, though. I'm actually kind of surprised that Mary Lou, Valerie or Connie never told her. Lula has been trying to get me, but even I have limits. I guess I can thank Ranger for that. They probably fear that he will hurt them. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Then, I had to break up with her when I thought I was dying. Instead of talking to her about it, I pushed her away from me. I'm such an ass. That was less than a year ago. I've sent her so many mixed messages. Recently, she said something in her sleep that had me thinking "He bought a pool table for the dining room. You aren't any closer to being engaged then you were at six." Damn Joe. I am such an ass. Okay. I need a plan of action. I'm going to go to RangeMan, confront her, see what she has to say, and then propose. Ranger has more of a commitment phobia then Stephanie. Yes. That's the plan. I will win her back! I am Detective Joseph Morelli and I will have Stephanie Michelle Plum as my fiancé and wife.

Just then, my phone rang. "Yeah"

 _"We have lead, you need to come back."_ Carl said,

"I'll be right there." I guess I'll just have to wait to confront my Cupcake and that bastard Ranger.

I wake up Saturday morning in bad mood. I hardly slept. I keep thinking about Stephanie being together with Ranger. I have to confront them today, and before I get to work. I shower, dress, and then leave my house to go win her back.

On the drive over to RangeMan, I'm trying to decide on my approach. Do I walk up to reception and ask to speak to her, do I call her cell, or do I call Ranger directly? I opt for the surprise attack and walk up to reception. I pull up to the garage. "Welcome to RangeMan. This is Miguel. Please state your name and reason for your visit."

"Detective Joe Morelli to speak with Stephanie Plum." It grates me that I have to go through someone to speak with my girlfriend.

"Is she expecting you?"

"She should be."

"One moment please." I'm sure that Miguel is calling Ranger to find out if he should allow me entrance to this fortress. "Detective, you have been cleared for entrance. Please part in spot number 5 and then enter into reception to sign in and for your escort to Conference Room 2."

I'm being told where to park, and I have to be escorted. Such a crock of bull. I'm sure Stephanie doesn't need to state her purpose. I know she has a key fob, it probably allows her access to the garage and elevator. I wonder if she has access to Ranger's apartment. I park where I was told, walk into reception and signed in. I have to report all weapons I'm carrying. I'm probably the only one in this whole building who is carrying legally. Cal came off the elevator. "Hi Morelli. How are you? Here to see Steph?"

"Yes, I am. How long has she been here?"

"I'm not sure. I've been off for a couple of days."

I know that he is lying. No one here will go against Ranger. "Are we ready to head up?"

"Yes. Let's go. What conference room are you meeting her in?"

"Conference room two." I replied. I looked at Cal. He has a key fob too. But his is a little different from Stephanie's. "Do all of you have the same key fob?"

"For the most part, yes. Some people have more access than others, so their fobs are a little different."

"Who has different ones?"

"Ranger, Tank, Ella and Louis have full access. Ranger's and Tank's have the ability to scramble the video feeds."

'What about Stephanie's key fob? What does she have access to?"

"Everything I do."

With that, the doors open on the fifth floor and Cal escorted me to conference room 2 where I see Stephanie and Ranger kissing. I clear my throat to get their attention.


	3. Chapter 3--The Decision

Chapter 3: The Decision

We turn and see Morelli in the doorway with Cal next to him. Ranger looks at me and I nod. He walks out of the room and into his office. I sit down in a chair and wait for Cal to leave and close the door so I could be alone with Joe. "Are you sure?" Cal asks me. "Yes, it's okay."

Joe sit down. He looks at me, sees that I am in a RangeMan uniform, shakes his head and looks down. I see that he is trying to compose himself and is trying to count to ten.

"Cupcake, what's going on here? Please don't lie to me. I want to hear what transpired from Thursday until today." Joe asks me.

"Well, Thursday afternoon I called Ranger and asked him to help me pick up Max Perez. He was always surrounded by his goons and I wasn't able to approach him at his home or job. I felt that if I tried to pose as a potential girlfriend, I could get him. Ranger agreed that that would work and helped me set up a distraction for that night. We met here, went over the plan, and then went to the bar. I flirted with Max and got him outside where Ranger and his team subdued him and brought him into custody for me." I pause and look at Joe's expression. I couldn't read him. He was cop all over. There was no warmth in his eyes. They were cold and dark, not his usual milk chocolate color when we are together. "We debriefed, and then Ranger offered to drive me home."

"Ranger typically debriefs by sticking his hand underneath his team member's clothing and pulling out a wire while feeling them up?"

"He didn't feel me up."

"And after that, he leans over and kisses his team members while they obviously return the kiss. No slapping or punching or stopping of the kiss." Joe's voice is getting louder. His leg is shaking. His control is barely in check.

I am shocked that he knows so much. "What are you talking about, Joe?" I decide to play dumb and innocent. But I immediately know that that was the wrong choice.

Joe jumps to his feet. "How can you sit here and lie to my face. How can you sit here and act like you didn't cheat on me?" He demands and then continues, "The case I caught, it's two of Max's goons. They were killed outside the bar where you apprehended Max. We were going over the footage from the cameras and I saw your capture of Max. We continued to watch, and I saw everything that happened between you and Ranger. I was sitting there with five other cops. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was to watch my girlfriend cheat on me in front of my friends and colleagues? It was bad enough watching you do that distraction in that dress, but I knew that was an act. What happened outside was no act. So please, Stephanie, tell me what is going on here."

I get up and walk over to the window. I look outside. I know that I have to tell Joe that I don't want to be with him anymore, that I want to try a relationship with Ranger, but I don't know how to handle it without hurting him more. I turn to look at him with tears in my eyes. "Joe, first off, whatever happened outside that bar was not planned. It just happened, and yes, I let it happen. I know what it feels like to be betrayed by someone you love, and I am truly sorry for making you feel that way." I pause and take a deep breathe. "In light of Thursday night, I think we need to take a break. I am very conflicted and have been for a while now. Part of my fear of commitment to you is that I am making a mistake and that I am going to lose my chance at true happiness. You want me to change, and I can't change. At least not now. I have been fighting my feelings for Ranger for a long time, consciously since Scrog. I have remained faithful to you until the other night. I have always believed that Ranger would never want to be in relationship with me or anyone else, for that matter. However, he wants to give a relationship a try and so do I. I cannot truly commit to you until I know how I truly feel. I love two men right now and have for years. I just don't know who I am _in love with_. Please give me an opportunity to discover how I feel. I understand if you want nothing to do with me after today, I know that I could be throwing away my chance at happiness, but I need to do this. Please understand." I put my arms around his neck and gently kiss him on his lips.

"Stephanie, Cupcake, you can't be serious! Give me a chance to explain what I have been going through for the last day and a half."

"What, Joe, what have you been going through? Why does it always go back to you?"

"When I spoke to you Thursday afternoon, you told me you were going after Perez. I knew that it would be a big capture for you and I wanted to celebrate with you. I went over to your apartment after work and I was planning on surprising you with dinner. I sat in you apartment, and got the phone call that Tank and Hal had brought in Perez for you. I knew that you would be on your way home soon. When you didn't arrive, I called you to see where you were. I thought that maybe you went out for a late dinner with Lula. I didn't know you were working with Ranger. I fell asleep in your apartment. When I woke in the morning, I thought that maybe you were waiting for me at my house. I checked my phone and found it dead, so I immediately packed up and went home. When I got there, my house was empty. I looked around, and saw no evidence that you were there. I started to worry that something happened to you. Then I got the call about Max's goons. When the afternoon came and I still didn't hear from you, I started to call around. No one saw or heard from you. I didn't really think much of it because I was involved in the case. Then, we got back to the station with the footage from the dump site and the bar and started combing through it. I watched you walk in and sit at the bar. I watch you milk your first beer, trying to blend in but not get drunk. I saw Max walk in and you whole demeanor change. I saw the flirt come out. I could see in your eyes that you were playing role. I saw the disgust in your eyes. I couldn't take my eyes off of you in the dress. I was getting worked up thinking about getting you back into that dress only to take it off of you again. When he put his hands on you, I got angry, but you were in control. I've never seen you do a distraction before, and you're good, Cupcake. If you would've tried that when I was FTA, you might have gotten me a lot sooner." He smiled as he thought back to how we reconnected as adults.

"I saw you lead Max outside and we waited until we saw his goons leave out the back. We had to switch to the rear camera to see if we could determine what happened with the guys. We saw Ranger step out and cuff Max and pass him off to Tank. I saw him talk to his men and everyone leave. I then saw him look at you. He had a dangerous and feral look about him. I watched has he pushed you against his car, kissing you, touching you, and fondling you. I watched you kiss him back and rub your hands up and down his back and in his hair. I saw the desire and lust in your eyes when he stopped. I could see that you wanted him. I watched him put you in car and then drive off."

I couldn't believe that all of that was on tape. I was wondering if Ranger knew about the cameras. He probably did, he was a very observant person. Always aware of his surroundings. But, there would have been no reason for Joe, or anyone for that matter, to ever see the footage.

"The bodies were dumped off Route 1, and when we look at the footage from the traffic camera there, what did I see, but a Porsche 911 Turbo, Ranger's car, pull over. The light and the camera angle were perfect for me to see you both making out again. Then, he drove off. What did he ask you when you pulled over?"

Tears are streaming down my face. I can hear the hurt in Joe's voice as he flatly recounted everything he saw through the cameras. "He asked me, your place or mine. I told him to take me here."

"Did you forget about our plans to meet up? Did you not care that you are my girlfriend? That we are engaged to be engaged? You of all people should understand that pain and humiliation you put me through."

Joe was right. I did understand exactly what he was feeling. I had been in his position, only it was when I saw my husband naked with Joyce Barnhardt on my dining room table three months into our marriage. I just did to him what Dickie Orr did to me. "I'm so sorry, Joe. Words cannot explain how badly I feel. Our relationship is complicated. We have never lived together for more than a week without me going back to my apartment, aside from the time when my sister was living in my apartment. We get on each other's nerves and constantly push each other's buttons, and break up. Then, we get back together, but it seems that all we ever do well is what we do in the bedroom. We never talk about our feelings, and when we do, it turns into a war. I need to determine, before I can commit to anyone, what I really feel in my heart. I didn't realize how conflicted I was until we pulled over on Thursday. There was a part of me that wanted to go back to my apartment, because I knew if I went back home I could refuse Ranger. My hormones were raging, which I know influenced my decision, but I had to take a chance and the risk. I needed to see what would happen when I got him out of my system."

"Got him out of your system?"

"Yes." I sigh. "I have been attracted to Ranger, sexually, from the first time I met him. At first, it was just lust. But, as I got to know the man, and as we started to become friends, it turned to love. The attraction became stronger and it is harder for me to keep my emotions in check. But I am human, and I gave in on Thursday night."

Joe gets up and walks over the window. He looks out the window and seems to be playing with his keys in his pocket. He turns around and walks over to me. He knees down on one knee. I gasped. What is he doing?

"Cupcake, we have been together for several years. I have been wanting to make you my wife for quite some time, but never had the courage to ask you. I want to go to sleep next to you each night and wake up next to you every morning. I want to be the one who keeps you safe and give you the family you deserve. I want you to have everything you could want and to be a stay at home mom and housewife, when you are ready. Stephanie Michelle Plum, will you marry me?"

He has a box opened to reveal an engagement ring. It is nice, but not my style. I can't believe he is asking me now, after the last two days and in Ranger's conference room, to marry me. I can't say yes. I can't say yes until I give Ranger a chance. I am staring at him with my mouth open. Tears start to flow again, but they aren't tears of joy. They are tears of sadness. I am starting to hyperventilate. He is looking at my eyes, trying to decipher what secret they hold. "Cupcake?"

"Omigod, Joe. I am so ho-ho-honored that you are asking me to mar-mar-mar-mar-marry you." I blow my nose. "But I cannot accept your ring. I can't become your fiancé today. I'm so sor-sor-sorry Joe." I kneel down and try to hug and console him, but he jumps up and starts yelling.

"Are you sure, Steph? You are choosing Ranger over me? You know he is dangerous, you know he does things that are illegal. You know he doesn't have a great reputation. Why are you willing to destroy yours?" Joe asks.

"Because he believes in me."

"And I don't?"

"No."

"Well, I guess that's your choice. When he throws you away like yesterday's garbage, you know where I'll be." With that Joe turns and walks away. He opens the door to see Cal standing outside. "You know that you will never have your independence that you so crave with him. His goon squad will always be with you." With that, Cal escorts him out of the building.

Ranger enters back into the conference room. "Morelli didn't look happy."

"No, he wasn't. He asked what happened. He wanted me to tell him. We were on video, Ranger. There was a camera in the back of the bar. He saw everything. Then, he saw us again when you pulled over from a traffic camera. The other cops who were watching the video saw it all. I feel so…so…dirty." I finished with a sigh and tears.

"Babe, why? We didn't do anything wrong. I love you. I didn't realize they had cameras outside. I wasn't as vigilant as I should have been. I was distracted by you. I spent the whole time I was waiting for you to bring Max out imagining all of the different things I wanted to do with you, all of the ways I wanted to show you my love and devotion. I was so horny. I haven't felt that way since high school. I couldn't wait to get my hands on you. Tank had to keep bringing back to focus. I'm not sure that I would have been able to help you if something went wrong. I wasn't on my A game. I'm sorry. I should have realized that there were cameras back there. You know if I did, I would have controlled myself better, or at least tried to."

"You love me? You really love me?"

"Babe." He smiled. "Do you?

"Do you?"

"Do I love you?"

"Yes."

"More than I love anyone else in the world."

Ranger comes over to be and pulls me into an embrace. He kisses me, very soft and gentle and then kisses the top of my head. He sit down and pulls me into his lap. "Will you be my girlfriend, Babe?"

I laugh. "What are we, 16?"

"I feel like I'm 16 when I'm with you."

"Yes, Ranger. I'll be your girlfriend if you'll be my boyfriend."

"Good. What do you have planned for today?"

"I need to stop by the office and get my check from Connie. I have to see if any new skips came in. I may go out for one or two, depending on who they are. What do you have planned?"

"I have to go over some reports and check on a client. I'll be busy until about 2. If you want help with any of your skips after that, let me know. Do you want to go out to dinner tonight?"

"Yes. That sounds great!"

"Okay then. It's a date." He gives me another kiss and we walk out of the conference room. When we enter the control room, several heads turned towards us. They guys noticed us holding hands and how closely we were standing to each other. In all the times I have worked here, lived here, or visited, we never held hands on the control room before. Tank was waiting in Ranger's office and smiled when walked in together.

"Did you like ring Morelli got you?" Tank asked.

I rolled my eyes. "No. A solitaire is so not me. Thought I do understand that he probably couldn't afford too much, I would have preferred a smaller center stone with some diamonds on the side. If I were to accept it, I would have to convince him to upgrade the ring at some point."

"Good to know, Babe." Ranger smiles. "Tank, can you just give us a moment?"

"No problem, Boss. Let me know when you are ready to roll." Tank walks out and closes the door behind him.

"Listen, Babe, you need a partner, someone better than Lula to help you. She is going to get you hurt or killed one day. I have no problem assigning one of my men to be your permanent partner or you can rotate though them. I'll give until Monday to decide who you want." I start to object, but he continues. "Stephanie, you have been targeted too many times because of our perceived relationship. Now that we are actually in a relationship, you are putting yourself in more danger. Morelli is right when he says I put you danger. It will make it easier for me to work knowing that you have someone backing you up who is competent and who will always have your back. You can continue to go with Lula, but I still want you have one of my men as your backup as well." He finishes.

I sigh. "Ranger, you know I need to be independent. You know I often feel embarrassed when your men are with me and the capture goes all wrong."

"Then you will have someone with you to help give you on the job training. Babe, you go after crazy low bonds. They are too out of their minds to go easy."

"Alright, I'll think about it, but I want until Wednesday to decide."

"Okay. Now, about your living arrangements. I would prefer it if you lived here, with me. You don't need to give up your apartment, I will help you pay rent on it if you need, but I don't want to have to go to sleep without you in my bed and in my arms ever again. I don't want to wake up to an empty bed and an empty apartment. When you are not here, my apartment is just a place for me to crash and sleep. When you are here, it is my home. Please make this my home."

"Then I guess I'll have to go pick up Rex to bring him here. And I'll need to pack a bag."

"Do you want me to send someone to get him and pack for you?"

"No, I'll do it. I want to give Dillion a heads up anyway."

"Alright. Meet me upstairs at 6 for our date tonight."

"I'll be here." I put my arms around his neck, go up on my tip toes, and give him a kiss. "I love you, Ranger. " I whisper into his ear.

"I love you, too, Babe."

With that I leave for the bond office to start the next phase of my life.


	4. Chapter 4--New Beginnings

Chapter 4: New Beginnings

I walk into the bond office to find Connie there by herself. "Where's Lula?" I asked.

"She took today off. She apparently had a hot date last night. We weren't sure if you were coming in today, so I didn't think it would be a big deal. What happened to you yesterday?"

"I was busy. I spent the day with a friend."

"From the look on your face, I'd say you spent it in the bedroom. I know you weren't with Officer Hottie, because be called a few times looking for you. You were with Ranger, right?"

I sigh. I guess I should just start telling everyone. The Burg will find out sooner or later. "Yes. Ranger helped me with Max Perez and I went home with him. We spent the day together yesterday. Joe and I broke up. He proposed, and I didn't accept the proposal. I am dating Ranger."

Connie looked stunned. "So the rumors are true. Is it also true that you were making out against his car in the back of the bar where you picked up Perez?"

"Yes, it is true. I realized that I love both Morelli and Ranger, but I'm not sure who I am in love with. But, because of the way I was able to walk away from Joe today when he proposed, I think that I am in love with Ranger. However, we are going to date for a while and see where it goes. I'm moving in with him."

"Wait, you are just going to date but you are moving in with him? It seems like you are more serious."

"Ranger is concerned about my safety. Scrog, Orin, Vlakov and others went after me because people thought I was his. Now that I _am_ his, he's afraid that I am in more danger. I do agree. But, I am keeping my apartment. He will help me pay rent if I need it. He also wants me to partner with one of his Merry Men when I go after FTAs. He said I can still bring Lula along, but he wants me to have proper back up and a proper partner. I'm not sure if I'm going to accept that, though. I have until Wednesday to decide."

"Lula will be devastated."

"Maybe not. She may try to date him." We laugh. I know we were both thinking about her brief relationship with Tank. "Anyone new skips come in?"

"Yes, three. One is Mooner. He was caught selling marijuana to an undercover cop and forgot to go to court. The second one is a middle bond, Michelle Comet, who was caught shoplifting from Macys, and finally, Jose Gonzalez, who was charged with a DUI."

"Okay, I guess I'll go after Mooner today and the rest on Monday." Just then, my phone rings as Connie hands me the files. It's my mother. "Hello."

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, you get yourself over here right this minute!" She yells over the phone. I guess the gossip has reached my mother.

"I'll be there in about 10 minutes. I'm just leaving the bond office." I hang up and I'm trying to get ready for the showdown to come.

When I pull up at my parent's house, I see my mom and my grandma Mazur waiting for me. I park my POS Rav 4 and walk up to the door. I follow them into the kitchen.

"Is it true?" My mom glares as she asks me the question.

"Is what true, mom?"

"All the rumors?"

"Which rumor are you talking about?"

"The rumor that you were seen in a compromising position with that thug, Ranger, that you've been living in his home, and that you rejected Joseph's marriage proposal?" Wow, the Burg rumor grapevine was pretty accurate this time.

"Yes, Mom, it's all true. I worked with Ranger on Thursday night, and after we finished work, we made out by his car. No one was around and we didn't lose any clothes. We just kissed. Yes, I went back to Ranger's and spend the night. Yes, Joe came to me yesterday and proposed and I said no."

"What do you mean you said NO? Joe is a responsible and respectable man. He would be able to provide for you and allow you live without having to work at that awful job of yours."

"Mom, I like my job. I don't want to quit being a bounty hunter."

"But, you are not getting any younger. You need to settle down and start a family, become a housewife life your sister, Valerie."

"I don't want Valerie's life. I like my life."

"So you are choosing that nobody thug over Joseph?"

"Yes, Mom, I am going to try having a real relationship with Ranger. Ranger is not a thug. His name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso and his is an ex-Army Ranger and a hero. You know that. And he has always supported me and has saved my life too many times to count. He owns a successful security business in two cities, and can easily provide for me and give me a lifestyle that Joe could never afford on his cop salary. Please try to accept the fact that I am happy right now with Ranger."

"You know Joseph is not going to wait forever. You just better hope you didn't give up your last shot at being a proper Burg woman. Stop being a slut and get back together with Joseph. Do what's best for the family. You don't want to tarnish mine and your sister's reputation by sleeping around."

I can't believe what my mother is saying. I am so hurt and angry. Once again, being compared to Saint Valerie. "Mother, I love Ranger and I want to see where a relationship with Ranger will take me. He loves me too. He believes in me and doesn't want me to change. If you cannot accept that I don't want a relationship with Joe and if you can't accept my relationship with Ranger, then I will not force myself on you. I will stay away from you. Then, I won't tarnish your reputation."

With that I get up and walk out the door. I get into my car and start to cry. I don't want to sit in front of my parent's house, so I drive to my apartment. When I get there, Ranger is leaning against his car. "Babe."

I open my door and run into his waiting arms. I put my face into his chest and start to cry. "Not here, Babe, let's go into your apartment."

I nod and he walks with me into the building, up the stairs and into my apartment. After he clears the apartment, he sits on my couch and pulls me into his lap. "Tell me what's wrong. What happened at your parent's house?"

"My mom basically called me a slut for choosing to be with you and not accepting Joe's proposal. She called you a thug. She told me I was tarnishing her reputation and Valerie's reputation as well. She doesn't care if I'm happy. She only cares if the Burg accepts me." I sob into his chest. He is rubbing my back and kissing my forehead to try and calm me. I listen to his heartbeat. I feel myself start to relax.

"Babe, I don't care what people think about me or about you. I only care what YOU think about me. I love you."

I smile. I can't believe how many times he has told me he loved me in the last 48 hours. "Why have you suddenly started to say that you love me?"

"Because I was afraid that I would lose you. I felt that Morelli was getting ready to give in to pressure and propose. I made that deal with you over the cars to try and have one more opportunity to be with you, to show you how I felt. I have finished my government contract. I am in less danger now, and don't have to travel as much. I realized that when I'm with you, I don't have nightmares. I'm at peace when I'm with you. I'm kinder to my men, and I am more compassionate. When you are with Morelli, I'm miserable, and the nightmares return. You help to chase away my demons."

"Wow. You have nightmares? You have demons? But you're Batman, you're invincible." I say.

"No, I'm just a man. I've seen too many things, I have done too many things, and some of those things haunt me. But mostly, my nightmares involve me being too late to save you. When you were thrown off that bridge, I had nightmares for about two months. I kept seeing you getting thrown over, but the block went with you, and I couldn't get to you. When you are in my arms, I know you're safe, and I can sleep deeply."

I lean into him and he puts his arms around me. He's rubbing circles on my back, and I fall asleep in his arms there on my couch.

"Babe, wake up. You've been asleep for 2 hours. It's four. If you still want to go out on our date, you better get up. We need to pack a few things, get Rex, and get back home." He kisses me gently.

"Did you sleep too?"

"Yes, you didn't give me much choice, Babe. I couldn't move without disturbing you." He chuckles.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep. I guess the lack of sleep since Thursday finally caught up to me."

I get up and go to the bathroom. I pack some of my toiletries. I go into my bedroom and grab two duffle bags out of my closet. I start packing undergarments and clothes. I go into the kitchen, grab Rex's hamster food, and announce to Ranger I am ready. He takes one bag and Rex's cage, and I take the other bag. We walk to his car and put everything in the back.

"Leave your Rav 4 here. I'm sending it to car heaven. What type of car do you want?"

"What? Why?"

"Babe, I hate when you drive these POS cars. They are not safe. I want you to be safe. I can afford nice cars for you. Besides, new cars are less noticeable."

"I want a Mercedes SUV."

"Okay. You'll get one. Let me know if you get bored with it."

"That's if I have the car long enough to get bored with it." I laugh.

We climb into his car and drive to our home. When we get there, I get Rex settled and then run into the bathroom to start getting ready. Ranger joins me in the shower, and together we get each other clean and relaxed. I dry my hair and fortunately it is cooperating. I go to his closet and get dressed. I have a blue dress that I had never worn. I bought it as a distraction dress, but didn't have the nerves to wear it yet. I feel tonight would be a good night. It was a halter top that made my cleavage look more impressive, is snug to the waist, where it then flows out a little. I can't wear a bra, because it had a low back. I put on black FMPs and walked into the bedroom. Ranger takes one look at me, gets up, and pushes me against the wall were he plants a kiss on my lips. My legs literally go weak, if it wasn't for him holding me, I would be on the floor. "Babe."

"Where are we going for dinner?"

"We could stay in."

"That'll be dessert."

"Come, I'm going to surprise you."

We walk out of his apartment hand in hand, and into the elevator. He looks down at me and smiles. He brings my hand up to his mouth and kisses it. I smile back at him. We exit and walk to his Turbo and get in. He starts driving out of Trenton towards Newark. When we get there, he pulls up to this exclusive steak house. He walks in and speaks the hostess. "Good evening. Manoso for two."

"Follow me, Mr. Manoso. We have a few specials for this evening. Your waiter, Glen, will go over them with you."

We are seated in the corner at the back of the room. Ranger's back is to the wall, as always. Glen comes over and starts to go over the menu and specials and Ranger just orders for us. "She'll have the filet mignon cooked medium rare with lobster mashed potatoes and I'll have the lobster with seasonal vegetables. For dessert, she'll have the chocolate lava cake."

"Very good sir, what about wine?"

"Two Pinot Noir and water, please."

"Coming right up."

"Why did you order for me?" I ask.

"Because I know you are going to like it. Why, do you want something different?"

"No. Just next time, tell me that you are going to order for me ahead of time."

"Okay. Deal."

Our dinner comes and it is phenomenal. The steak was cooked to perfection and the mashed potatoes are to die for. I can't wait for dessert.

While we are waiting for dessert, I decide to ask Ranger some questions. "Ranger, I've known you for a few years now, but there are many things I don't know about you. You don't share much about yourself, and if this relationship is going to work, you need to tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?"

"When is your birthday?"

"August 10th."

"Tell me about your family."

"Well, my mom and dad own a restaurant. We worked in the restaurant growing up. I have four sisters and a brother. My family lives here, in Newark. I have my Abuela Rosa, who means everything to me."

"Where are you in the birth order?"

"I have two older sisters, two younger sisters and a baby brother. I was the third child."

"Why did you join the Army?"

"I worked in my parent's restaurant from a young age. I bused tables, cleaned the floor, and took out the garbage. As I started to get older, I started to resent the work. My parents were struggling financially, and I was feeling neglected. I joined a gang. I found a family there who valued me. Who encouraged me. My parents loved me and were always there for me, but because I was the reliable, hardworking Carlos, I often got overlooked. My older sisters were hostesses and waitresses. My younger siblings were doted on. They rarely said thank you with words. I felt trapped. My sisters need much more than I did, so I often went without new stuff so they could have new. In the gang, I found a way to earn some extra money for my family. I used to steal cars and bring them to the chop shops. I was good at boosting them. I got busted at 16. It was either go to juvie or go live with my Abuela Rosa in Miami. I was sent to Miami. There, I joined the ROTC and found that respect and appreciation that I had with the gang, while getting the opportunity to reach my potential. From high school, I went to Rutgers. I wasn't really cut out for college. I wanted to be part of a team. So, after two years, I joined the Army."

"Did you have a lot of girlfriends growing up?"

"No. I had girls who were friends but no girlfriends. I was a little like Morelli. If a girl put the moves on me, I reciprocated. If she walked away from me before I could seal the deal, I was fine. I never spent the night with any girl or woman, and I never made love to anyone, that is until you."

"You didn't have sex until me?"

"No, Babe, I ONLY had sex until you. Sex was only a means to satisfy a physical desire. When I was a teenager, I didn't really care if the girl was pleasured. The first time I experience a climax with a partner, I start to be more aware of whether or not my bedmate was being satisfied. But I still didn't really care about her happiness. I just wanted to have a better experience for myself. I learned that pleasuring a woman would mean a better climax for me. Still, once we were done, I would leave. No goodbye kisses, actually, very few kisses. Foreplay was with my hands, never my mouth. Once again, that was until you."

I can't believe what he is saying. He is always so attentive to my pleasure. He is the best lover that I have ever had. It was never just sex with us, it was always making love. How could he be so good without having done it before?

"What are you thinking, Babe?"

"I find it hard to believe. Every time with you has been an incredible experience. You take me to places I've never been. I'm more willing to try new things with you. You have never failed to satisfy me." I pause for a moment, "I used to sometimes fake it with Morelli." I whisper. "He wasn't very good at taking a 'no'. I learned that if I wasn't in the mood, it was best to just let him do what he needed to do and fake it because he would finish faster and I would get to sleep faster."

"Did he ever rape you?"

"No. It wasn't like that. We would sometime do one round, and he would want another, but I was done, so I would try to go to sleep, but he wouldn't let up. He would continue to try and get me back in the mood, and if it didn't work, I would just pretend it did so he could get off and I could sleep."

"Babe, that's rape. It's not violent, but it is still rape. If you didn't want it, then you shouldn't have to fake it or pretend." He looks hurt and angry.

"Why did you never make love until me?"

"I don't know. That first night when we were together, I never meant to stay the night. I had a plan. I wanted you badly. Since that night when Morelli cuffed you to shower rod and you called me. I wanted to kiss you while you were standing there, so vulnerable. I want to put my hands on your body. I wanted to be inside you. But I needed to keep you safe from Morelli. You were so clueless, and I wasn't sure what he was capable of, and there was Benito Ramirez in the picture as well, that I knew if I moved on you I wouldn't be able to keep you safe. So I refrained. The more time we spend together, the more I wanted you. You are a good girl. I knew I had to manipulate you into bed because of Morelli. So that's when I made the deal with you over DeChooch. I envisioned what that night would be like for a long time. I had planned on being fast and hard. Get done and move out. I almost left after the first time. But, as I was lying next to you, I was getting more turned on again. So, I decided that I would have you one more time and then leave. Only I couldn't leave after the second time. So, I took you a third time. You were willing, and I knew you were enjoying it. When we finished, I was so content and happy. I stayed the night. I knew then that I would always need you. I knew then that you were the only woman for me. However, I wasn't ready or willing to give you commitment because I felt that I didn't deserve you."

I have tears in eyes. I have never felt so loved before in my life. "I'm glad you made that deal. If you never did, I wouldn't be sitting here now. I love you." I say. "What name does your family call you? Ricardo or Carlos?"

He smiles. "It depends on who you talk to. My parents and my Abuela call me Carlos, my siblings Ricky. Why?"

"What do you want me to call you? Ranger, Carlos, or Ricky?" I ask him. He looks at me and tilts his head, so I continue, "If we are going to be together, I can't keep calling you by your street name, at least not when we are alone."

"Carlos."

"Okay Carlos. I love you."

Just then our dessert arrives and I dug in. I moan with delight and my Carlos laughs. He whispers, "I hope you moan like that when I get you home." Oh boy.


	5. Chapter 5--Transitions

_Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews so far. I have the major plot of the story in my mind already, and I am taking some of your responses into consideration. I just want to express that the content of this chapter and next may be a little difficult for some of you to read. I have been talking to someone who has been in Stephanie's shoes and she has helped to make it realistic. I hope that my sincerity, sympathy, and empathy for all women in Stephanie's shoes comes through my writing. Special thanks to DC for helping be real._

Chapter 5—Transitions

Ranger POV

I awake to the beep of my watch. It's five in the morning. Ugh. I need sleep. We didn't fall asleep until about 3:30. I was keeping Stephanie otherwise occupied. She was curled up against me. Her hair is on my face. I love the smell of her strawberry shampoo. Maybe I'll skip the gym today, I know I've gotten a lot of cardio the last few days. I reset my watch and pull Stephanie closer to me, with my hand on her belly. "I love you, Steph," I whisper as a fall back to sleep.

What's that noise? It's my phone. What time is it? I look at the clock; it's 10 am. I pick up the phone. "Yo."

"Boss, is everything okay? You have a meeting with Senator Juniak in 10 minutes. You said you were going to be down at least a half hour before." Tank responded.

"I'll be down in five. Everything's fine." I hang up and gently get out of bed. I don't want to disturb Stephanie. God, she's so beautiful when she sleeps. Her hair all over, her face so peaceful. I just want to kiss her and hold her all day long, and she's mine. I know that I better get in the shower if I plan on making the meeting. I go into the bathroom and take a quick, cold shower and dress in my black uniform. I quickly leave her a note, kiss her forehead, her cheeks, and her lips before leaving to go downstairs.

I enter the control room floor, and the guys look at me and glance at the time. I know what they're thinking. Either Stephanie and I need to start earlier in the night, or we are going to have learned to live with limited sleep. I walk into my office and find Tank waiting for me.

"Boss, I love that you and Steph are finally together, but you can't stay upstairs all day. They guys are going to start to losing focus. They are already starting pools on how late you'll be in the morning, and there's a pool on how long it will be before you knock up Stephanie."

"Well, the first bet is good. Place my bet at eleven tomorrow. As for the second, shut it down. Spread the word that any gossip about what Steph and I may or may not do on 7 or anywhere else is none of their business."

"No problem, Carlos, but you better make sure you don't lose control again as you did on Thursday. The guys who were on the control that night are still talking about it. And they are some of the new guys, and some of us veteran guys are getting a little-pissed off. It's creating some animosity. You know many of us view Stephanie as our little sister, or even as a mom figure."

"Yes, I know. I'll talk to the guys as a large group. I think Stephanie and I need to be honest about what's going on. That way, there will be some normalcy around here. And Pierre, don't call me Carlos on the floor again."

Joe Juniak arrived at RangeMan and Miguel, who was on reception, announced him. Tank and I moved into the conference room. When he entered, I went over, shook his hand, and offered him coffee. We sat down, and Joe got right down to business.

"Ranger, before I get on to the business at hand, I have to warn you about something. Joe Morelli is trying to pin the deaths of Max Perez's bodyguards on you or RangeMan. There are rumors around that you stole Stephanie from him and he is trying to seek revenge on you. Secondly, Vinny wrote a bond for a man named Jose Gonzalez. While on paper he is low risk, there are a lot of rumors about him being a rapist and a kidnapper. Several women have gone missing around him, and if they turn up, they are often found brainwashed into thinking that they were his slave. They have been abused sexually, but will never press charges, and typically, commit suicide within a week of being found. I know that Stephanie usually handles Vinnie's FTAs, but I think you need to take him. I would hate for something to happen to Stephanie if she goes after him. If she insists on apprehending him, do not send her in with any less than a four-man team of you best. She fits his profile."

I felt the blood drain from my face. I heard a rumor about Gonzalez. I have to find out if he's Stephanie's FTA. I need to convince her to partner with one of my men. Damn it, Steph. Why do you have to be so stubborn? "Thank you, Joe, for both pieces of information. I'll take care of both situations once the meeting is over. Now, what do you need from RangeMan?"

I have to push my concern for Stephanie aside. She'll be okay. I have to trust her. I look at Tank. He knows what I'm thinking. He excuses himself. When he comes back in, he nods his head ever so slightly. I know that he has assigned a team to Stephanie.

Stephanie's POV

I open my eyes. It's 11 o'clock. I stretch. Last night with Ranger was even better than our previous nights. I never knew I could go for so long. We spent hours together, and I still wanted him. I am a little sore; we are going to need to take a night off, eventually. I get up and head to the bathroom and see Rang, no Carlos's note. Have a meeting with Joe Juniak. Busy day ahead. Be home by five for dinner if you choose to go out. Love you, Babe.

I get in the shower and go and pick at the food that Ella left for us. I decide to start going after my skips today. I call Lula.

"Hey, girlfriend. Are you available to go skip chasing today?"

"No, sorry Steph. I'm actually in Atlantic City with Connie. She told me you're living with Ranger. I didn't think you would be working today."

"Ranger has his day filled with some meetings and paperwork. I figured I'd get a head start on the day. Don't worry, have fun. The skips are pretty lame." I hung up. I could ask one of Carlos's Merry Men to accompany me, but I don't want to, not today. I want one more day to work on my own. Tomorrow, I'll take Carlos's offer and work with a partner. I think I'll work with Bobby. He's a lot of fun to be around, and I can have a conversation with him. I'll let Carlos know tonight over dinner. I grab my keys and my purse. I make sure that all my bounty hunter paraphernalia is in the bag and head the door. When I get to the garage, I see a Mercedes SUV parked in one of Ranger's spots. I can tell it's mine because of the Wonder Woman keychain hanging from the ignition. I get in and mentally thank Ranger for my beautiful car. This car is how I should be riding around town. I started the car and rolled out of the garage.

I decided to go after Moon-man first. We had a good rapport and friendship. This isn't his first time FTA and should be reasonably easy to get. I go to his house and knock on the door.

"Hey, Steph. Good to see you! What are you doing here?" Moon-man asked.

"You missed your court date. I have to take you in."

"Okay. Let's go now. I missed on purpose, you know so that you could get a check."

"Thanks, you're a good guy."

I drove him to the station, got my body receipt, and left. I decided to try Jose Gonzalez. Shoplifters tend to be runners, and I am in no condition to go after a runner without backup. I knock on Jose's door and go through the routine when he opens. "Hi. My name is Stephanie Plum. I represent Vincent Plum Bail Bond Agency, and you are in violation of your bond agreement. I am here to take you in to get you rebounded."

He looked at me, and my Spidey sense was going off. Something wasn't right here. He was too calm and too lovely. I felt I should just leave and come back to pick him up, but Gonzalez is accommodating. I didn't know what to do. I wished I had someone to back me up. He finished putting away his groceries and said he was ready to go. I walk over to cuff him.

Joe's POV

I spent the night in the bar. I tried to pick up a couple of women, but no one appealed to me. I only wanted Stephanie. I was finally free to screw whoever I wanted to without feeling guilty, and I couldn't do it. I need my Cupcake. I had to figure out a way to win her back. The ring wasn't enough. The only thing I could think of was to try and discredit Ranger or his company. Damn Manoso. Putting doubt in Stephanie's head, touching and kissing her whenever he could. Connie called and told me about all of the stolen kisses in the alley outside the office, how he would enter, and she would be there. He would walk over to her and touch her back, pull her hair, or just stand near her. Ranger would be waiting for leaning up against his new car, and she would light up at the sight of him. How whenever he was going away lately he always stopped in to tell Connie, but he was there to let Stephanie know. When Ranger would return, he would go to see Stephanie first. Lula said to me that Stephanie said he was magic in bed. Magic. That was a direct quote. When once asked who was better, she said we were both different and would name one over the other. She once told me that she faked it with me because we had to go to my Uncle's party. I wonder if it was more than once. I wonder if she ever faked it with him.

The alcohol isn't helping. I'm too heartbroken. Yes, Joseph Morelli, heartbroken over a woman. The Morelli reputation that doesn't help. Why does every man in my family have to be a pig? We have a reputation of being alcoholics, womanizers, and abusive. Our women are saints. I was trying not to be a Morelli man, but I guess that got me nowhere.

"Hey, officer, are you going to arrest me tonight? I've been awful." Joyce was next to me, dressed in her usually slutty attire. I felt a little reaction to her. Maybe I should give her a whirl.

"Why? Do you need me to handcuff you?"

"Yes."

"Let's get out of here. Your place, alright?" We left in separate cars and drove to her house. I did what I needed to do and went home. I got to my house and fell asleep as soon as my head it the pillow.

Sunday morning came, and I had to go to the station. We were trying to find leads to the double murder. Too many phone calls and no new information. Max was still in jail, so we knew that he didn't directly kill his men, but he could have ordered it. Around one I got word that Stephanie had dropped off Moon-Man. At least she had an easy one. I was hoping she would come back with someone else so I could at least see her. I miss her. I started to think about one of our more memorable times together when my partner, Matt Williams, said my name.

"Morelli, we caught another one, but I think you should stay here for now."

"Why? We have no leads on the double. Let me come with you. I'll be ready to go in a minute." I started closing the file in front of me and getting my gun and keys.

"No, you don't understand. It would be a conflict of interest for you to be investigating this case. I have to go solo."

"Why?" What wasn't he telling me?

"The victim is Jose Gonzalez, and the suspect is Stephanie."

I had to grab onto my desk. It finally happened. Stephanie got into significant trouble because of her stupid job. I've been warning her about this for years, so has her mother, but did she listen? No. I grabbed a mug from my desk and threw it across the room. "Fuck. I have to go with you. I won't interfere with your investigation, but I have to see Stephanie for myself."

"Fine. You can come, but if you cross even a toe over the line, I'll have you forcibly removed from the scene."

"Deal. Let's go. "

Rangers POV

The meeting with Juniak went much longer than I anticipated. I got up to get something to eat from the break room. I walked in a saw the new guys, Jim and Carl, sitting at a table. "Stephanie's home?" I asked.

"No, our shift was over, so we came back here. Stephanie spent the last hour sitting outside some house. We figured we didn't need to be there." Said Jim.

Bobby and Miguel, who walked in during the conversation, stopped dead in their tracks. "You mean to tell me, that after you were told to stick with Stephanie, you left her alone without backup? You didn't ask for relief or wait for your relief to show up?"

"No. Steph wasn't in any danger." I saw red. "You better hope that she is fine and that nothing, I mean nothing, has happened to her. You are both suspended without pay for two weeks. If she is in any way hurt or injured as a result of you leaving her side, you are both fired."

Bobby asked, "Where did you leave her?"

"Outside some house. On Chestnut near Stark Street. It's the home of that dealer Gonzalez." Carl stated.

I ran into the control room. "Where is Stephanie?" I found her tracker. Still at his house. Suddenly, we heard the police band go off.

This is Officer Constanza responding to call on Chestnut. We need ME, bus, and homicide on the scene. We have one person dead and one suspect. Our suspect is contained, but unconscious. A possible rape victim. Tell Morelli it's Stephanie.

My heart stopped, my vision got blurry, and I froze. "Boss, she'll be okay. Come on; we'll get her. Boss, let's go." Tank gently touched my arm and got me out of my stupor. "Yes, let's go."

I ran down to the garage and jumped into the Cayenne. Tank was beside me, and Bobby and Miguel hopped in the back. We sped off to the home of Jose Gonzalez. This was all my fault. I should have called her and warned her about Jose when Juniak first told me, but I didn't think she would go for him today. I just kept praying that she was okay and not raped. I hoped she killed him before he could help her. I get to the house, barely park the car and jump out to find my Stephanie.

I saw Stephanie sitting the back of an ambulance. I tried to get near her, but they wouldn't let me. I saw Morelli there too, but it didn't look like he was allowed near her either. She was staring straight ahead with a blank look on her face. Her clothes looked torn and ragged. She didn't seem right. My heart was breaking looking at her that way. All I wanted to do was hold her and tell her I was here. I need to get to her. I walked over to Morelli to see if I could find out anything.

"Morelli, what do you know?"

"Manoso, why do you care?" He was glaring at me. "You are constantly tracking her. You had Cal standing as a bodyguard outside the conference room this morning, but you have no one here watching her back now."

"You're right, she was alone, and I fired those who were with her for leaving her here alone. I just want to know what happened to her."

"She was raped. She killed Jose Gonzalez. That's all I know. Williams is in charge of the case, and he's freezing me out for the time being. The only reason I'm here is that I promised not to interfere. He won't let me talk to her either. This is killing me. I always knew that fucking job would get her in trouble. The cops my charge her with murder, and there is nothing I can do to help her." He took a deep breath. "Just do me a favor, stay away from her. You will only hurt her chances if you are with her."

"First off, Morelli, I will not stay away from her. She is mine, and I don't share. Second of all, until she tells me to leave her alone, I never will. Once again, she is mine. And finally, I will keep her safe, I will protect her, and I will help her heal from this nightmare once you and your fellow officers finish. I can only imagine that it was in self-defense. You know as well as I do that Stephanie hates guns. If he raped her, there is no way should be charged with murder. And if she is, I promise you; I will get her the best defense attorney money can buy. She will not go to jail on my watch."

"Just stay out of the way. I'll see if I can get you to talk to her, supervised or otherwise and it may only be for a minute or two."

"I'll take any time. If I can't get to Steph, you need to. She needs to know that we are there for her, both of us, Morelli. Don't let this morning make you do something that will only make this whole ordeal worse for her."

Joe walked away and went over to another detective. I often found it amusing that he never wore a suit. He claims he looks like a pit boss. I can see that. Joe seemed to be frustrated. Finally, he sighed and waved me over.

Stephanie's POV

OMG! What happened to me? Why am I sitting in this ambulance? I only remember going to the door. Then everything goes blank. I look down at myself. Why are my clothes torn, why do I have blood on me? Why is there a cop outside the door? Where is Ranger? Where is Joe? I look around, and I see Ranger and Joe talking. Ranger's here! I try to call out for him, but I can't get myself to speak. I just keep looking at him, hoping the ESP thing works and he feels that I need him. Ranger, I need you. Please come. I keep repeating in my head. Joe goes over and speaks to someone else. He seems annoyed. He's calling Ranger over. They talk briefly. Ranger is walking towards me. The other guy stops Ranger and speaks quickly. Ranger looks annoyed, but I can see he's trying to get to me. Finally, both men walk towards me.

"Babe." That's it, that's all he said. He doesn't need to say anything else. He puts his arms around me. I want to hug him back, but I can't make myself do it. I can't smile, I can't show any emotion. I'm numb, but I don't know why. After what seems like seconds, the other man makes Ranger leave me. I try to tell him to stay, but I can't.

"We need to get her to the hospital to be checked out. She's in shock. I don't blame her. You can follow her there, but I can't let you talk to her until I get her statement. I'm sorry." The other man said to Ranger.

"I understand. Babe, I'm here for you. When they let me, I'll take you home and keep you safe. Always." He kissed my forehead and went to his car.

Joe's POV

"Hey, Williams, you need to let either me or Ranger see Stephanie. She is scared. She needs to know we are there for her. It will help her heal."

"Joe, you know she is in shock. I can't afford to have her freak out or breakdown until I can talk to her. She's not doing well. I've never seen someone as shut down as her. It's like she's comatose."

"That's even more of a reason why we need to talk to her."

"Morelli, I can't let you near her. Your involvement with her is a complication to the investigation. If you think it will help her, I can let Ranger near her, but I will accompany him and give him 5 minutes. No one will be alone with her. Then I have to get her to the hospital."

"Fine." I'm annoyed. Manoso gets to be her comfort once again. He gets to swoop in like a hero, and I'm being frozen out. I'm never going to win her back like this.

"Manoso, Detective Williams will give you five minutes with her. Then she's going to the hospital. I have a change of clothes for her in the ambulance. I stopped at her apartment and picked some up. He will not leave your side. She's in shock and apparently not doing well. Don't hurt her."

"And how would I do that?"

"By making her promise you couldn't keep."

"Don't worry. I won't. I keep all my promises."

Detective Williams walks over. He shakes Ranger's hand. "She's in shock. I don't think she remembers what happened yet. I can't have you talking to her right now. You have five minutes. If you say anything, I will pull you away, and you will be barred from having access. Understand?

"Understand."

They walk off together to Stephanie and leave me standing alone.


	6. Chapter 6--The Nightmare

**Chapter 6—The Nightmare**

"Ms. Plum, can you please explain to us one more time what happened tonight inside Mr. Gonzalez's home?" asked Detective Matt Williams. I had known Detective Williams by sight, and have spoken to him a few times when I was out with Joe, but I have never been in an interrogation room with him before. I sighed and got ready to relive the worst moments of my life for what seemed like the 100th time. It's been over 24 hours since I everything happened. I sighed and started again.

"I was at the home of Jose Gonzalez because he was an FTA. He was supposed to show up for court on Monday, but he didn't appear. Vincent Plum, my employer, wrote the bond on Jose and gave me his file. I just got his file yesterday. I decided to try and get him today. I arrived on the block at in the early afternoon and started surveillance on the house, in hopes of being able to catch him. At approximately 6:30 p.m., I observed him enter the home. I gathered my things and walked up to the front door. I knocked on the front door. He opened the door, and I introduced myself and told him I was there to bring him to court because he missed his court date and had to reschedule. He invited me into his house, because he said he needed to put away his food, as he has started to make dinner. He was a non-violent offender, and was out on bail after have a DUI, so I didn't think that it would be dangerous to enter the home with him. I followed him into his living room, where he told me to sit on the couch while he finished up in the kitchen. I did just that. We were talking about the weather, and I didn't feel threatened at all. He offered me a drink, but I declined. Once he said he was done, I walked over to him to cuff him to start to bring him into the station. It was then that he grabbed the cuffs out of my hands and proceeded to handcuff me behind my back." I started to feel the tears forming in my eyes. I didn't want to cry. I was counting to ten, trying to get my composure. Everything was such a blur and I really didn't want to go through the story again. I continued, "I tried to get away, but he punched me and I fell over. He picked me up and carried me into his bedroom." I had to pause. I didn't want to say anymore. I was taking deep breathes, trying to keep the tears at bay. I knew Joe was standing on the other side of the glass listening to what I was saying. I know that he was going to be angry at me for going there without back up, for getting restrained in my own handcuffs, and for not being able to get away. I didn't want to go on.

"Ms. Plum, Stephanie, I know this is difficult, but you have to tell me what happened. You are holding up well. I know that you don't want to talk about it, but the more you tell me, the better it will be for you. We need to close this case. We need the facts. Take all the time you need. Do you want water?" Detective Williams said gently.

I shook my head no, and I took a deep breath and continued. "Once in his bedroom, he continued to beat me. He punched me so many times. I couldn't fight back. I was in too much pain, and I felt as if I was paralyzed. I couldn't stop him. When I stopped moving, he undid one handcuff and then cuffed me to the bed. I started fighting again, and he put duct tape on my mouth. I couldn't scream no matter how hard I tried." The tears started to fall, my words were coming out in bits, and I was starting to gasp. "He ripped my clothes and started to touch me. I tried to tell him, no, but he didn't care. He undressed me. He touched me everywhere. I was powerless to stop him. He pushed my legs apart…and…he…and…he." That was it. I was sobbing by this point. I couldn't say what he did. I couldn't stop the tears. I wanted someone to hold me. I wanted someone to tell me it would be okay. I needed to smell Bulgari green. I wanted Ranger, but he wasn't there.

I could see that Detective Williams was angry while being full of empathy. He was holding my hands and gave me some tissues. I calmed myself down enough to continue with the interview. "I know this is difficult for you. I know you don't want to say anymore. But I need you to continue to be strong. Just a few more questions and I can let you go for tonight. What did he do to you, Stephanie?"

"He was on top of me. He had my legs apart, he," I stopped again. This was a nightmare. I just wanted someone to wake me up. "He pushed himself inside me. After that, I don't know what happened. I guess I passed out. All I know is that when I woke up, by hands were free and the tape was gone. I didn't see him in the room. I got up, and walked back to the living room. I found my pocketbook on the couch where I left it. I looked inside, and found my gun. I put it in my waistband, and started to leave. Then, he was in front of the door. He told me that I was his slave and that I was not allowed to leave the house. I was his property. I took out the gun and pointed it at him. I told him to move away from the door and allow me to leave or I would shoot him. I didn't see my cell phone in the bag, otherwise I would have called for help. He stood there and laughed at me. Saying that I didn't have the guts to use that gun on him, that I liked what he did to me. I again, told him to move or I would shoot him. He instead, started coming towards me. Then, I shot him. I checked to see if he was dead, and when I determined he was, I tried to get to the phone to call it in, but I must have fainted again, because the next thing I knew, the cops were there." I finished.

"Okay, Ms. Plum. I think that covers everything for now. Did they do a rape kit at the hospital? Did they take pictures?" he kindly asked.

"Yes, they did," I replied. The detective shut off the recorder in the room, looked and nodded towards the two-way mirror, and went to the door. Joe entered the room and came over to me. He hugged me, but it wasn't his usual hug. Joe had given me clean clothes in the hospital. He had brought me another pair of jeans, a skimpy t-shirt, and sneakers, with a push-up bra and lacey thongs. Not precisely the comfort clothes that I wanted. I was grateful, though. At least I didn't have to wear those scrubs from the hospital. He took me into his office and left me there while he went to talk to Detective Williams. I had some time to contemplate my life.

How did I get to this point? How did my life get so crappy? I called my mom to tell her what happened, and she, of course, didn't take it well. Especially being that this came less than a day after I turned down Joe's proposal. What I am to expect, I am a failure of a daughter, divorced, unmarried, unengaged, without children, and in danger of being an old maid. I just wanted to go home and take a shower, and sleep. But no, I had to wait for Joe to finish up before I could leave.

It seemed like it was days ago that my world came tumbling down when it was only about 20 hours ago. When Joe was finally able to talk to be at the hospital, he first yelled at me for being there without back-up, then he yelled at me for being a disaster magnet, for not taking my job seriously, and for being the cause of the ulcer he was currently getting. Then, he attempted to comfort me. Too little too late. He was okay while I was in the hospital, but he couldn't seem to be able to look me in the eye.

I rode to the hospital alone and wasn't allowed to be with anyone outside of hospital staff or police. Ranger arrives and scene and was allowed near me for a few minutes. He waited with Joe and me until the doctor came and gave me a report. I had a severely bruised face, two broken ribs, and bruising and tearing below. He said I would physically recover in a few weeks, with the bruises clearing in about a week and the ribs taking about 4-6 weeks; but psychologically, it would take a lot more time, maybe even years. Joe was apparently not happy that Carlos was there, and after the update, Joe looked disgusted.

Finally, the doctor came in and released me, and that's when we came here, to the police station so that I could revisit the horror over and over again.

Now, here I am, waiting for Joe. He finally came into his office. "Ready to go, Cupcake?"

"Where's Ranger? Why isn't he here to take me home? I want to go home with him."

"I don't think that's a good idea. Come home with me. Bob misses you, and I can make sure you're safe." Bob missing me was his code for wanting gorilla sex. Bob was his sad excuse for a golden retriever, who was dumb as a rock but lovable. Bob started out as my dog, but he like Joe's backyard better than my fire escape.

"Joe, I want a shower, and I want to sleep in my bed."

"Then why do you want to go with Ranger?" Joe asked.

"Because Ranger's apartment is my home. His bed is my bed. I want to be with him. We are giving being a couple a chance. He's the one I need right now."

"Fine, Cupcake, if that's really what you want. Just know that being with Manoso right now is not suitable for your image. It might make you seem guilty. You should only take this as a sign and quit being a bounty hunter. My proposal still stands. Marry me, and you can stay home and be safe. Stay with Manoso and be in constant danger. I didn't see your car on scene. Where was it?

"Across the street. It's the Mercedes SUV."

"He already bought you a car? Geez, Steph. Can't you see he's trying to win you with money? Can't you see he's trying to make you his whore?"

"What did you say? Joe, you don't know anything. There is no price for what I give to Ranger and what he gives to me. I am not his whore." I was tearing up. "Why are you doing this to me, today of all days? I have been through hell, and I just want to go home and go to sleep."

"Whatever, Stephanie. I'm just trying to look out for you."

"Ranger's outside. I'll get him. I was just hoping that I could make you come to your senses before it's too late."

With that, he left to get Ranger. Ranger opened the door and came to me. "Babe, are you alright?"

"Yes." No, I wasn't. But Joe was in the room, and I didn't want to admit my feelings in front of him. He wasn't the one to make me feel safe or secure. Joe wasn't the one who would chase away the demons. He would add to my demons. I will tell Ranger the truth when we are alone.

"Bye Cupcake. I'm just a phone call away." Joe stepped back for Carlos and me to walk past him out of his office.

Carlos brought me to his car and let me in. We drove in silence to RangeMan. "The guys are worried about you."

"I don't want to see them yet. I need a shower, and I need to change out of these clothes. I'm grateful that Morelli bought a change of clothes, but this is not what I want to be wearing. After I take a shower I'll go and say hi." We arrived at RangeMan and I immediately ran to the elevator. I hit 7, open the door to our apartment, and walk into the bedroom, strip off the clothes Joe brought for me, and take a hot shower. I scrub and scrub until my skin is red and sore. I shut off the water and get out. I dry off, and put on one of Ranger's t-shirts and a pair of yoga pants and crawl into bed. I was asleep in seconds.

I had a restless sleep. I kept on seeing Jose Gonzalez in my dreams. I saw him on top of me. I couldn't breathe. I was trying to fight him. "Babe, wake up, please, Babe, wake up. You're safe. I'm here. Just open your eyes and wake up." I opened my eyes and looked directly into Ranger's brown eyes. "Carlos, is that really you?" I put my arms around his neck and buried by face in his chest. I started to shake and sob. Ranger was rubbing circles on my back and gently kissing me on my head. "Babe, you're safe. I'm here. I got you. You're safe. Just breathe." Carlos kept repeating in my ear. I was listening to his heart beat and trying to match my own to his. I was succeeding, and I started to calm down. When the crying and shakes stopped, a pulled back to look at my knight in black armor. I looked at the clock. It was five in the morning.

"Babe, I know what happened to you. I was allowed to watch your interview. You did great! I'm so proud of you for being so strong. Are you okay?"

He was in my room and sitting next to me on his bed. He put his arms around me and kissed the top of my head again. He turned on my lamp and looked at me. I saw concern in his eyes followed by anger and then compassion. He gently touched my cheek. "Does this hurt?"

"Only when I'm awake."

"Let me see the rest of you." He picked up my shirt and took it off. He gently touched my broken ribs and leaned over to kiss them. He pulled my pants down to look at my legs. I saw tears in his eyes. "Babe." He whispered that one word and I broke down again. I was crying and sobbing and I couldn't control my emotions. He helped me put my shirt back on and pulled my head to his chest. He maneuvered so that he was leaning with his back against the headboard and I was sitting between his legs, curled up in a ball. He ran his hand up and down my back and on my arm, trying to comfort me. "Babe, it's okay. You're safe. I'm here. I'm proud of you. You got away. You fought. You survived." He was proud of me. Always. I wasn't a disaster. I wasn't a train wreck. I wasn't stupid. I was strong in his eyes.

"I was dumb. I went in without backup; I let my guard down. I let him restrain me with my cuffs. I didn't learn from when Joe cuffed me to my shower rod. I couldn't stop him from hurting me. Now, I'm an embarrassment." I sobbed.

"No, you're not. I read Gonzalez's file, Babe, the one that Connie gave you. He should have been safe. But that wasn't his full file. Connie left stuff out. I'm not sure if was done on purpose or by accident. If you had the full file, you would have known he wasn't someone to take lightly. You would have known to come to me. But, given what you knew, you did everything right. Where was Lula?"

"She said she wasn't available. She was in Atlantic City with Connie."

"What's wrong, Babe?"

"I'm in pain, and I want to go to sleep, but every time I close my eyes and see him."

Carlos got up, walked into the kitchen and filled a glass with water. He went into the bathroom for my pain meds and gave them to me. Carlos placed the glass on my end table and pulled down the sheets. He helped me get under the covers. Then, Carlos stripped down to his boxers, when into the bathroom, came out and crawled into bed next to me. He put his arms around me, pulled my head to his chest and we fell asleep in minutes.

I next woke up with Carlos's arms still wrapped around me. I expected nightmares, but there were none. Batman chased them away. I could tell Carlos was awake. "What time is it?" I asked.

"It's 9:30. I decided to let you sleep. After the last two days, it's the least I could do."

"But why are you still in bed? You're usually working by now."

"I didn't want you to wake up alone."

I melted at the tenderness in his simple statement. I turned so I could look him in the eye. "Thank you."

We got up, and I went into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth, threw my hair in pony tail, and decided I needed more pain meds and ice. I was holding my ribs and walk slowly to the living room. Ranger picked me up and carried me to the couch. He got me a blanket along with ice for my face and legs, and my pain meds. He also handed me a cream-filled donut and coffee. Carlos walked into the bedroom, and I heard the shower go on.

Ella opened the door and came in. "I see Ranger gave you your donut first." She said while smiling.

"Yes, he did."

"I've brought up a proper breakfast for you and Ranger." She paused, "Is it true that you and Ranger are a couple?"

"Yes, we have decided to give a relationship a try, and I have moved in, at least for the time being."

"I'm glad. I wanted you to be the one Ranger for a long time. I hope everything works out. Now, how are you doing? Are you okay? I know with all the men here it can be overwhelming. If you ever need a woman to talk to, you just have to call. I am never too busy with you. You can talk to me about anything, and I will never betray your trust."

"I'm coping. I'm still a little numb. I'm trying no ignore everything. I'm not ready to face what happened. It comes in my dreams, and, I guess, eventually I'll be able to talk about what happened to me."

"I understand, Stephanie. I know exactly how you feel." With that, she put down breakfast in the kitchen and left.

I'm a little confused about what she said. Does that mean that something happened to her in her past? I know that I am glad that Ella is here for me, especially since my mother isn't. I trust her entirely because Ranger, no Carlos, trusts her completely. I keep trying to think of Ranger as Carlos because that is really who I'm with now. Carlos, the real man.

"Babe, who were you talking to?"

"Ella. She wanted to know what our status was. And she wanted me to know that she was here for me and that she understood what I was going through and to not hesitate to call her if I needed someone to speak, especially a woman."

"She loves you like a daughter. She was pushing me to express my feelings to you. She saw what we didn't see."

"Ran…no, Carlos, I don't know how to deal. I am embarrassed. I don't want to see the guys right now. I feel that they are disappointed in me. That they now see me as weak and damaged. I should have called you for a partner when Lula wasn't available. I was planning on asking for Bobby to be my partner today. I am going to accept your help. I need one more day of independence, though. I was stupid."

"No, Babe, this is partially my fault."

"No, you're wrong."

"When Juniak met with me, he told me some information about Jose Gonzalez. He told me about women who were kidnapped and then found, sometimes years later. He abused them mentally, emotional, and sexually. Joe new that Vinnie bonded him out, but didn't think that Vinnie would give him to you. I never asked who your FTAs were, but based on what Juniak told you, I figured you wouldn't go after him. After seeing the file Connie gave you, I can see why you went after him. I just don't know why she gave you incomplete information. I found the rest of the file in her desk. If you would have seen the full file, you never would have gone after him. I had two new guys, Carl and Jim watching you. They obviously didn't understand their assignment, because they left you with waiting for backup. They should have had your back. I should have given you Hal and Cal or some of our more veteran guys. But they were promising and I thought you were safe. I should have called you immediately and asked if Gonzalez was yours. I would have warned you to leave him alone. But I didn't, so it is my fault that you were hurt." Carlos has tears in his eyes and was holding my hands while sitting in front of me. I reached got up and sat on his lap.

"It's not your fault. It's Connie's for not giving me all the information. It's Gonzalez's for being a sick. Don't take the blame." I tried to hug him and winced. My ribs are too sore.

"Babe, you're in pain. Lie down and relax."

"What happened to Jim and Carl?"

"I fired them. If you want Bobby, you have him for your partner."

"Let's go downstairs. I want to see my brothers."

"You need to get dressed first. I'll be right back."

He walked into the bedroom and came back out with yoga pants and one of his t-shirts. He knows me so well. He also had a tank top with a built-in bra. "Where did you get the tank from?"

"Ella. I figured with the broken ribs that a bra would probably hurt too much."

"You're so right. Thank you." He comes over and takes off my shirt. He sees my bruises and gently kisses them. He pulls my tank on. Then he puts his shirt on me. "I love seeing you in my clothes, Babe." I can't help but smile. He looks at my thighs and sighs. He gentle kisses each leg, and then helps me with my pants. He sits next to be on the couch and pulls me on him. He kisses by head and just holds me against him. "I am so sorry that he did that to you. If you didn't kill him, I would have killed him for you. I hate seeing you in pain. I wish I could go back and stop this from happening to you."

"You can't, but you will help me heal, you will help me to sleep, and you will help me to get on with my life." As I lie in his arms, everything suddenly become so clear to me. I am in love with Carlos. Carlos is the one I want to be with forever. "I am so in love with you Carlos."

"Did you just say that you are in love with me?"

"Yes."

"Me too." I nuzzled into him even more.

"I want you right now, Carlos, but I'm in too much pain. I hate that he's taken this away from me. But I am scared at the same time. I'm afraid that it will hurt too much and that I'll never be able to enjoy being with you again." I confess.

"Babe." Carlos shifted me so I could see his face. "I don't care how long it takes for you to be ready for us to make love again. I don't care if you are never ready. But I do know that you will enjoy it. I will give you whatever time you need, and when you are ready, I will be as gentle as you want. I just want you to get better. I may have to continue the cold showers that I've been taking almost daily since our first time together."

I couldn't believe how lucky I was to find a man who was so supportive and who cared for me so much, and he was all mine. "I know you say that you don't share, but remember, I don't share either when it comes to you." I gave him a quick, light kiss. Anything more hurt too much. "I'm ready now, let's see the guys."

"Oh, before we go down, I just want to let you know that they have started a pool on what time I will downstairs every day for work, how many meetings I'll be late for, and how long it will take for me to knock you up."

"Are you serious?" I couldn't help but laugh. "I think it's funny, except for the last one. I don't like that one, Carlos; it makes what we have seemed cheap."

"I agree, I told Tank to shut down the last one but let them keep the others." He led me out the door and into the elevator where he presses 5.

We exit onto the floor, and the guys surround me. They are hugging me and kissing me on my check. They are saying how proud they are of me and how they are there for me if I need them. Lester even says that he is there to help if Ranger is holding up his end. Ranger smacks him in his head. I found that I was laughing. "Thanks, guys. You have no idea how much your support means to me. I don't know how I'm going to get through this, but it helps to have all of you here watching my back."

"And one of you lucky men is going to get to be her partner. Don't worry; I'll give you hazard pay if you want." Carlos said to his men. I know that he was joking, so I went along with it. "Are there any volunteers?"

Hal, Cal, Bobby, Lester, Miguel, and Tank all raised their hands. "Boss, we don't need hazard pay. We love her and want her safe." Tank spoke for the group.

"I'm a little concerned with how quickly you are all volunteering to be with her. Should I be worried?" Ranger asked.

"No Boss, we know the rules."

I knew that Ranger had told all of his men that I am his property and, therefore, I am off limits. It bothered me when he first informed me, but I understand why he did. I get their dynamic now, so it doesn't annoy me anymore. I look at Carlos, and he already knows who I want, so he picks him. "Bobby, you are the lucky man who gets the assignment. You better not screw up."

"Never. Don't worry, Steph. I'll always have your back."

"Thanks, Bobby."


	7. Chapter 7--Betrayal

Chapter 7-Betrayal

The next morning, Carlos and I were sitting at the table enjoying breakfast. "Did you manage any sleep last night? You were tossing and turning a lot."

"A little bit. I kept having flashbacks of Gonzalez on top of me. But then I would hear your voice, and they would stop."

"Do you want to see a psychiatrist? Maybe they can help."

"I don't know. Let me just see how the next few days go. So far, you are helping me by being in bed next to me. Your touch and voice are very comforting and soothing."

"Your face is looking better. Does it still hurt?"

"Not as much. It's the ribs that are giving me the most pain."

"It's to be expected. The ribs, by far, were your worse physical injury."

The phone rang, and Carlos picked it up. "Yo."

"Now. Can Detective Williams wait?"

"I understand. Tell the detective we need twenty minutes. Stephanie has to get ready. She just woke up."

Carlos put the phone down and looked at me. "That was Tank. Detective Williams is here, alone, and would like to speak to you, alone. You need to take a shower and get dressed. Do you want Ella to help you?"

"There's a part of me that wants to say no, there's a part of me that wants you to help me, but I can't let it be you. I don't want you to touch me yet. Can you please ask Ella to help?"

"No problem. But you let me hug you and hold you all the time." Carlos look confused.

"Yes, but I have clothes on, and you aren't touching my lady parts. I'm not ready for that yet." I put my eyes down and felt guilty. How can I honestly be in a relationship with Carlos if we cannot be intimate? I'm ashamed, and I'll understand if Carlos doesn't want me anymore.

"Babe, something's burning."

"I just don't know how this is going to work with us right now. I am so in love with you, but I can't make love to you. I can't be intimate. The idea of us being together petrifies me. The thought of being with any man petrifies me. I so afraid that I'll never be able to be with a man again, and that you will get tired of me not being available for you so that you will get rid of me." I started to cry.

"That will never happen. You will heal. It will take time, but it will happen. I'll wait as long as I have to because there is no other woman in the world who I want to ever be with but you."

"Good morning. Stephanie, are you ready to take a shower?" Ella walked into the room and came over to me. She hugged me.

"Morning Ella. Yes. I'm ready. I'm sorry I'm taking you away from your work."

"It's not a problem. I'm here for you."

We walk together into the bathroom. Carlos says that he is going down to the floor now that Ella is with me. We hear the door close.

"Mi hija (My daughter), you will heal, and you will be able to love completely again. It will take time, but it will happen. You are so lucky to have Ranger by your side. He will help you to heal faster."

"How can you be so sure? How can you know?" I ask her as I got into the shower.

"I know because I've been there. I've been in that darkness, in that suffocating panic where you are paralyzed and can't move. I have healed, and I have moved on, but I still get flashbacks, and I still remember."

"When?"

"When I was 18. I had gone to the beach without my parent's permission. I was so excited to be an adult and experience life. I went with some friends from school. I was a virgin. We met up with some guys who were charming, and one liked me. They gave us alcohol, but I didn't drink much. I spilled most of it out. I wanted to remember the day, and I didn't like the taste of the alcohol. We hung out with them all day and into the night. When it got dark, the guy who was interested in me, asked me to take a walk. I did, and when we were away from the group and isolated, he raped me, more than once. Then, when he finished, he left me alone, bleeding, scared, and embarrassed. I never pressed charges or reported what happened. I was too embarrassed, and I blamed myself for asking for it. When my parents found out, they helped me get past it. It took me about two years to be able to date a man, and when I meet Luis three years later, I was ready to start to heal fully. We were dating for about six months when I finally had to courage to tell him what happened to me. I thought he was going to leave me. I wasn't a virgin, and I was damaged. But he told me he loved me and that he would help me to see how beautiful being with a man could be. The first time we were together was the worst because I kept on envisioning that night, but once he touched me and was gentle and loving, it erased those fears. Only in my nightmares do those horrors return, but never when I'm with my Luis. You are also lucky because you know what it is like to make love to a man and to have him make love to you. Remember that feeling. When you are having a nightmare, try to remember a positive experience. You may not be able to do so now, but in the future, it may help you. It sometimes helps me."

I turn off the water and step out. Ella hands me a towel. I wrap myself up and then hug her. "Thank you for telling me your story, and I am so sorry that was your first experience. Your first should be magic, not a horror."

"Stephanie, mi hija, you have no idea how lucky you are to have Carlos. He loves you so much. He will and would do anything to make you happy; you just have to let him. He wants to spoil you, but he's afraid it'll scare you away. He wants you to be his queen and will treat you as such if you let him. Please let him. He is a much better person when you are in his life."

"Thank you, Ella. Now, can you help me with my clothes? My ribs are making it hard to get my shirts on and off."

"No problem."

Now that I'm dressed, I grab my keys and walk out of the apartment to go to 5. I exit off the elevator and Carlos is waiting for me. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, much better. Ella spoke to me. Did you know?"

"Yes. Ella told me after she found out what happened to you. She wanted to be able to help you and comfort you. She knew I would try to keep you isolated, and explained that what I would need was to talk to someone who understands how you feel. I told her if she was willing to share her story with you, then who am I to stop her."

"She called me 'mi hija.' What does that mean?"

"My daughter." Carlos smiled at me. "Are you ready to talk to Detective Williams? We really shouldn't keep him waiting any longer."

"Yes, but I want you to stay with me. Don't leave me alone. I can't get through this without you by my side."

I open the door to Carlos's office and see Detective Williams sitting at the round table in the room. He comes over to me. "Stephanie, you look so much better today. I'm glad to see you look stronger today than the last time I saw you."

"Thank you. It helps to have people around me who love and support me."

"I would like to speak with you alone if you don't mind."

"I do mind. I am coping, but I cope better with Ranger next to me. If it wasn't for him, I might be in the hospital or worse. I need him here."

Williams sighed and sat down. He seemed to be battling with himself. "Stephanie, there's something that I need to tell you that you have to be alone to hear. If, after I tell you, you want Ranger to come back in the room, I'll let him come in. It's your safety that I'm concerned about."

"Okay. You have 5 minutes." I look at Carlos, "I'm okay. I can do this."

"I'll be outside the door if you need me, Babe." He kissed my lips sweetly and left the room.

"Stephanie, I handled Gonzalez's arrest. I fought hard not to have him out on bond. However, a judge granted it. No one would give him the bond. Suddenly, Vinnie is down at the station and bonding him out. I wasn't sure why. He said that Jose came up with good collateral and he'd be a fool not to secure the bond. I told him to give his file to Ranger because I knew what he was. Vinnie assured me that he would. How did you get the file?"

"I went into the office Saturday to see what Connie had for me, and she gave me three files. Jose is one of them. She is always the one who gives me the files, so I didn't even question her. I read his file, and he was benign. Why? What are you trying to say?"

"Someone convince Vinnie to bond him out even though he didn't want to in the first place. I'm not sure who set you up. I don't know if it was Ranger or Morelli or someone else, but it is just fishy."

"I know that it wasn't Ranger. Ranger met with Joe Juniak Sunday for business, and Joe warned Ranger about Jose. Ranger didn't know I had his file. We didn't discuss who my FTAs were. When Ranger looked at my file, he said that paperwork was missing and he found it in Connie's drawer. I trust Ranger with my life. I want him in here."

"You're sure Ranger had nothing to do with this."

"100% sure. He's always the one who saves me and protects me. He's always doing things to keep me safe, like tracking me, giving me bodyguards, and new cars. He would never hurt me."

"Okay. You can bring Ranger in."

I walk over to the door and open it. I invite Ranger in. I ask Detective Williams to repeat what he suspects. Detective Williams went through what he found out again.

"You know, I was very suspicious as well. When I did some more research, I determined that Stephanie or I wasn't even an FTA yet. He was bonded out late Friday night. His court date is next week. I started considering this after I saw her file. I sent Tank to the bond office to get her check, and he managed to check Connie's desk while he was there. He found the original file. I don't know why or how Connie is involved, but she is. Are we sure that Vinnie bonded him out? Connie is also able to bond out people." Ranger shared.

"There's no proof. The signature says Vincent Plum, but it could be a forgery. The handwriting is too similar to know for sure. The video from Friday night is missing, so it makes me think this is an inside job. I have been keeping all my files at my home and have only been reporting to the Chief. No one knows that I'm looking."

"Do you think it could be Morelli?"

"Anything is possible. But I'm not convinced, at least not yet. There are too many holes. First thing, I need to find out what Vinnie knows. I'm afraid to question him because he can't keep his mouth shut. If he is not involved, other people will find out what I'm investigating. That could be a bad thing."

"Is this a police matter if there are no charges against anyone?" I asked.

"No, not really, and I have two more days to investigate on my own. But someone wanted you out of the picture, permanently. The other women who were attacked by Jose killed themselves within a week of being released. If he didn't kill you, you would have killed yourself, based on past practices."

"Detective, I appreciate your candor. If you give me what you have, I can continue to work on this on my own. Nobody will get away with this. I have no problem delivering them to you with a bow. I have resources, manpower, and motivation to find out who set up Stephanie and why."

"I have no problem with you doing that. However, I may not be able to turn a blind eye if you do anything illegal."

"I understand. Thank you for your help. I appreciate you looking out for Stephanie." Carlos extended his hand to Williams. Williams looks at me and says "Morelli was pissed when he saw that video from the bar. He was even angrier when he saw the new video last night."

"What video?" I asked.

"One of you in that elevator with Ranger." Spots came in front of my eyes. I couldn't breathe. I didn't know what to think. Could I trust Carlos? Did he send that video? What was going on? "Babe, breathe." He pushed my head between my knees. "Do you have a copy of that video? It could only have come from one of my men."

"Ranger, I waited to say this to you at the end because I wanted to see your reaction. You are legitimately surprised and appropriately angry. I know you had nothing to do with it. Stephanie, you are fortunate to have this man in your life. Don't let him go." Detective Williams smiled at Ranger. "I'll give you access to the e-mail account. I have permission from the Chief. Don't hurt her. She's been through too much already."

With that, Williams left.

Ranger went to his desk and picked up his phone. "Get in my office, now."

A moment later, Tank walked in. "What's up, Boss?"

"We had or have a rat in the house. We need to figure out who it is that is fucking with Stephanie and me. I only trust you right now. If I can't be out of this building with Stephanie, then you must be with her. She is not to be off 7 without me, you, or Ella with her. She is not to leave this building without you or me. Do you understand?"

"Yes. But why? What happened?"

"Someone sent Joe a video of me and Ranger in the elevator on Thursday night," I said.

"But the feed was jammed. I saw the jammed feed. There was a lot of hypothesizing about what was going on between you during that ride up." He looked over at me. "Sorry, Steph. You must understand, we're a bunch of men who do not all have girlfriends. We tend to live vicariously through Ranger sometimes."

"I understand, Tank. I probably would've had those same conversations with Lula and Connie." I shook my head and sat down. "Connie…Carlos, do you think she is involved?"

"Wow, you two must be serious if she's calling you Carlos."

"Tank, focus," Carlos said. "I don't know what to think. We need to find out who had access to that feed. First, who was on the control floor? How did they unjam the feed? How did they send it to Morelli? Why did they send it? Was this to hurt Stephanie, to hurt me, or to hurt Morelli?"

"I'll start to consider it. You really can't trust anyone else right now? Not even Cal, Hal, Bobby, Lester or Miguel? You know they were almost as devastated as you when they found out what happened to her."

"I'd like to, but I don't want to show my cards until I know for sure. Start by eliminating them first. Then we'll work on the rest of the men. Check Jim and Carl. They weren't here long enough to develop any real loyalty to me or Stephanie."

"Okay, Boss." Tank comes over to me and picks up my hands. "Stephanie, I love you like a sister. I never want to see you hurt. Please know you can come to me for anything. No matter who hurts you, I will be there for you. There is no one who I will protect you. That includes Ranger." He kissed my check and then left the room.

"Wow. Tank would betray you to protect me." I was shocked.

"Babe, I told you, if I ever hurt you, I would lose most of my men, and they would probably, at minimum, beat the shit out of me if they didn't kill me. They would protect their 'sister' over me."

"So, what's the plan, Carlos."

"I love you calling me Carlos. Just try not to in front of the men, at least not yet." He knelt in front of me. "It's okay in front of Tank." Then he kissed me.


	8. Chapter 8--Revelations

Chapter 8-Revelations

It's been a week since "that day". The bruises are mostly gone and I can move with less pain. The ribs are still an issue, but they will be for at least the next 5 weeks. Carlos, Tank, and I have been working to try and find out what happened. We have so far eliminated Hal, Cal, Bobby, Lester, Miguel, and Hector. We know that they are in the clear, and we have brought them on board. We are primarily working out of Carlos's office on 7 so that no one can see what we are doing. We are working offline, which is a little annoying but more secure. We know that some had managed to put a bypass on one computer which allowed for an unjammed viewing of what went on in the elevator. The video was sent from an internet café on Stark Street, but we haven't been able to recognize anyone of the video from the time frame. We think that whoever sent it may have paid someone to do it or is working with an accomplice.

I have been having horrible nightmares. I've barely been sleeping two hours a night. I tend to sleep better during the day, on the couch, when all the guys are around. But, it is never restful enough. Carlos has left the lights on for me at night, and we tried to sleep, but I would still get nightmares. We spoke about these dreams a lot, and Carlos thinks I may have some PTSD. I have an appointment with a doctor who helped Tank out when he first got out of the Army. We knew that he was trustworthy and kind. I was having a real problem trusting anyone. Lately, that is anyone who didn't have access to 7. I went back to the bond office three times. I'm trying to keep to my routine as much as possible and have been picking up files and skips. Of course, everything goes much smoother with Bobby as my partner than with Lula. When I told her that I was partnering up with Bobby, at Ranger's request, she was upset with me. She said I was dumping her. I told her she could ride along, but after one day with Bobby, she gave up. She said it wasn't exciting enough and Bobby didn't understand her need for food. The amount of food that she consumed almost made him sick watching her eat. Vinnie was ecstatic because I was picking up all the skips and returning them to court quickly. He was making money. Connie was also not too thrilled with Bobby being my partner. Between the two of us, we would research every skip and Bobby would always find out more information about the skips. He used a tablet from RangeMan, so I suspect it has all RangeMan's search programs on it. It was starting to get uncomfortable there, so we often didn't stay in the bonds office too long. Connie and Lula kept trying to get me to talk about my life with Carlos and how he was in bed, but I didn't want to share. They also kept asking me about the two videos. Apparently, they were posted to the internet and went viral before Hector could shut them down.

My mom called and told me that I was no longer welcomed in her home. I was a slut and whore, and I deserved what I got. She said the only way that she would ever talk to me again would be if I were to get back together with Joseph. Otherwise, I was no longer her daughter. Grandma Mazur called me to tell me that she didn't agree with mom and tried to talk some sense into her, but it was no use. I offered Grandma my apartment, and she accepted. Valerie was, of course, on my mother's side and didn't want me near her daughters. Fine by me. Over this past week, Ella has taken on the role of mom for me. She is someone I could talk to and she supports me. Carlos is still very overprotective of me, so I've been spending time with Ella helping her to cook. I am finding that now that I am with someone who is kind, patient, and willing to help me, I can cook. I surprised Carlos by cooking our dinner from scratch last night. Granted, it was grilled chicken, carrots, and white rice, but I still did it.

Carlos was being beyond understanding. He gave me whatever I needed. He comforts me every time I have a nightmare, he listens to me talk through my emotions and deal with being abandoned by my family, except Grandma, that is. The only time he gets angry with me is when I talk about me not being the best girlfriend to him because of my issues with intimacy. I know that my inability to even kiss him has been hard on him, especially because kissing is such a big part of our relationship. He constantly reminds me that he loves me completely, and that I will heal and when I do, our time together will be even better than before. I know that he's hopeful that things will start to get better once I see Dr. Hendrickson. I have a standing 10 am appointment with him every day starting tomorrow here, on 7. Carlos is ready for me to be too far away from headquarters, and he wants to be here when the sessions are over in case I need him. He also wants to know how I am.

I am sitting on the couch, looking over some information on the skips I want to go after tomorrow. I'm trying to focus, but I'm so tired. He's on top of me. He's grabbing me and touching me where I don't want him to touch me. He's pulling at my clothes. I try to fight, but my hands are above my head and I can't move them. I try to scream out but there's something over my mouth. I hear him talking to me. "She told me you'd come to me. What she didn't tell me was how beautiful you were. She needs you out of the way so she can be with her soulmate, Joe. I really don't care why she sent you, but she said with you gone, Joe will have no other choice than to be with her. If you happen to get away, I'll charge you with breaking and entering and assault. Bitch, you hit and kicked me. I'm not even FTA, so you have no reason to be in here. Connie will be so happy that you are mine." I couldn't breathe, I froze and got dizzy. Then I heard his voice. "Babe, wake up, please Babe, wake up. You're safe. You're with me. Babe, wake up. I'm here." He was pleading, I don't understand. I open my eyes and see Carlos sitting next me. I'm so nauseous. He hands me a bucket and throw up. He holds my hair and rubs my back, while soothing me. "It's okay, Babe. You're awake and you're on seven. No one can hurt you here."

I look around and see the guys standing around. They are staring at me and look helpless. "Steph, are you okay? We couldn't wake you. You've been thrashing around for 15 minutes. You scared us." Tank spoke for them all. I looked at Carlos and saw tears in eyes and one stray on that was falling down his cheek. He was trying to keep it from his men. I reached up to him and hugged him. He put his face in my hair. I knew that this was giving him a chance to compose himself. When he pulled away the tears were go and his blank face was back.

"Babe, what happened? What did you dream about?"

"Wait, I need a minute. Let me just go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." I run to the bathroom and brush my teeth and rinse with mouthwash. I wash my face and feel a little better. I throw my hair into a ponytail and walk back to the living room. I sit next to Carlos on the couch and look at my merry men. "I remembered what he said to me while he was hurting me." I looked at Carlos. I started to shake. He Shift himself on the couch and pulls me against him so I'm lying in him and his hands are holding me tight. "It's okay, Steph. You are safe. No one can hurt you, but what you tell us may help to find out who did this to you."

I know that Carlos is right, but I'm scared to repeat it. I take a deep breath and repeat what I remember him saying. When I finished I was sobbing in Carlos' chest. He never let me go and just kept holding me. I could see the anger in everyone's expression. "I can't believe that Joe was with Connie. I thought that he valued me more. I thought that he had given up his cheating ways. I mean, he said he did. I'm I really that much of a fool?"

"No, you're not. He hid it well. He has a job that doesn't have regular hours. He has a perfect excuse to be late home or not around for days on end. He can be anywhere in Trenton and justify it. I thought maybe he was still with Terry Gilman, but I didn't think anyone else." Tank answered.

"I doubt Connie is the only one, though." Lester added. "He is a playboy. He doesn't seem like the type to take long droughts well. I can only imagine when Steph was staying here or when they were broken up that he was testing out the competition."

"What he found in Stephanie is someone who believed that he was reformed because her family worshipped the ground he walked on because of his new reputation. He had the support of her parents, who continued to push Stephanie to him." Hal said.

"And he had me, who kept pushing you back into his arms and his bed." Carlos added, with bitterness in his voice.

"Ranger, it's not your fault. I believe in the image I created in my mind. I was also partly responsible for you pushing me away because I felt guilty about wanting to be with you while I was with Joe. All those times when we almost," I shook my head, "I should have known. He used to try to push me to do things that I wasn't comfortable with, and I would refuse. He would still try though. Then, since Hawaii, he stopped trying so much. I just thought that he finally got the point that there were some things that were not for me, but he would make comments like it would be so much better for him we did it other ways, but he would settle for me because I was hot."

"Okay, we have new information. You all look like you want to go out and kill Morelli and Connie, but we can't. Why don't you all take an hour in the gym and we'll reconvene up here in two hours."

"That's a good idea. See in in two." Tank responded. "Should I have Ella bring a spread up here?"

"Yes. Do that. Thank you, everyone." Carlos said as they left.

Once we were along, Carlos turned me so I was looking at him. "Babe, we have to talk and you have to be honest with me."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Your relationship with Morelli. Since you were six until today."

"Carlos, I don't want to talk about him."

"We need to. I need to understand your dynamic better to figure out if he was directly involved in setting you up."

"Fine." I took a deep breath and sighed. "It all started when I was six. My mom told me to stay away from the Morelli boys because they were bad news. I didn't listen, and Joe talked me into his garage, where we played Choo Choo. He molested me, but I didn't know it. I didn't like the game, and I avoided him at that point. When I got to high school, I fell under his spell like every other girl in school. He was handsome and the bad boy. I knew that he was trying to take the virginity of as many girls as possible. When he came into Tasty Pastry that night, I felt honored that he wanted me. I knew he was going into the Navy the next day and I thought this meant that he liked me, because he wanted me before he left. He started to kiss me and touch me, and I know that at least once I asked him to stop, but then he put his fingers, and then his tongue inside me, and it felt good, so I stopped fighting. When he went to enter me, I asked him about a condom, he didn't have one, and he said no one used one if they loved each other. He said virgins hurt more with a condom, and it was better to be without one. I told him to stop, but he said that after what we already did, I had already consented. Then he took away my virginity on the floor. I did cry a little initially, but then it felt good again, so I enjoyed it. When he finished, he smiled, told me I was a cupcake, and got himself dressed and left me on the floor." I stopped. Hearing myself talk about what happened made me realize that Morelli raped me at 16. My first time was rape. I got dizzy and couldn't catch my breath. Carlos pushed my head between my legs and told me to breathe. Once I calmed down, he spoke to me.

"You do realize now that he raped you. You asked him to stop, and he didn't. He continued to touch you when you didn't want it. Then, because your body started to react, you allowed him to continue. Even after you told him to stop again, he didn't. What happened when you got together as adults?"

"Well, it just happened. He kissed me a few times while I was hunting down as a FTA. We flirted thereafter for a while. You know our first time was during the Norwicki case. The morning after we went after Norvil Thompson. That's when I got hit with everything but the kitchen sink." I remembered and smiled.

"I remember. I thought 'lucky bastard' that he had you. After you came out of the food fight, I wanted to badly clean you up, but it wasn't the right time." Carlos said.

"You know our relationship. He yells when things go wrong, gets angry, and then we have sex and it's all better. Other than wanted me to try other positions, he's really not bad."

"What positions?"

"Carlos…really?"

"Babe"

I sigh. "He keeps pushing for doggy style and any other way from behind. He also wants to go in places that weren't made for entering. While I'm not fully against going from behind, I'm afraid that he'll try to put it where I don't want it. I also don't give him BJs unless I can't help it. He always tries to push my mouth against him. It's uncomfortable."

"You said when we were at dinner that he would sometimes make you have sex when you didn't want it, so you would fake it. Would you tell him no and that you didn't want sex?"

"I would, be he was so insistent I would just give in."

"Stephanie, you have been in a relationship for years where you are repeatedly being raped in the name of love. Why did you keep going back to him?"

"It wasn't rape. It's part of being a good girlfriend and eventually wife. You make sure your husband is satisfied. If I would have been better in bed with Dickie, I would still be married and he wouldn't have cheated on me."

"Who told you that? You fed you those lies?"

"My mother, my family, everyone in the Burg. A good Burg woman keeps her man satisfied in all ways." I said. "It's our job."

"No wonder you stayed with him. I can tell you, Babe, my sisters would not have put up with any of that. Morelli would've been kicked to the curb years ago. No woman should be forced to have sex when they don't want to, should be forced to do things that they are not comfortable with, or should be chastised for being treated like garbage and sticking up for themselves." Carlos said. "You have been, in some way, abused your entire life."

I was shocked by what he said. But when I start to think about it, I see he is right. I was never good enough for my mother. Valerie was always the better daughter. She turned me away when I can to her after I found out about Dickie and Joyce. She still compares me to every married Burg woman and never understood my need to fly. She didn't understand that I wanted to be Wonder Woman. She wanted me to be Barbie and did everything that she could to make me Barbie. "Carlos, I think you are right." I sighed again. "Why do you still want me when I am such a mental and emotional mess?"

"Because I love you for who you are, I accept that you want to fly and I will do everything in my power to help you to fly." He pulls me close to him and kisses my check. I move my head and I kiss him on the mouth. He is surprised and pulls back to look at me. I nod. He kisses me, at first gently and then it gets deeper. I don't want it to end. We hear the door opening and we pull apart. The guys are back.

"You look better, Steph. We had some ideas on where to go now while we were in the gym. We'll tell you both while we eat." Cal said.

We all walk into Carlo's home office. Hector gives us an update first. "We went through everything on all the men who are currently in your employment and they are all clear. However, the same can't be said for Carl and Jim. Apparently, they had a sealed record. Morelli had busted them about two years ago, while they were working for Connie's father. Connie asked him to let them off the hook, and she would owe him a favor. He agreed and helped to hide their past. It seems that while you were in Hawaii, Connie and Joe had a brief affair. They did it in Vinnie office. As you know, Vinnie had bugs and cameras everywhere and caught them on film. He didn't say anything because he was keeping the tape as leverage in case he ever needed it. Harry, his father-in-law, has the tape in his possession. When Morelli realized that you dropped everything to join Steph in Hawaii, he started to try and devise a way to infiltrate RangeMan to catch you and Steph in the act. This plan would be his out. As much as he claims to want to marry Steph, he doesn't. He was going to go through the motions, get her pregnant with his child, and then divorce her by exposing her infidelity to him with you. He figured that she would still come here to be with you even after they were married. He tried to get them to plant devices on seven but got frustrated when they couldn't get up here. Their fobs only gave them access to public areas. He noticed that their fob was different than Stephanie's and he asked Cal about it."

Cal continued, "The day he came to confront Stephanie and propose, he asked me if everyone had the same fob. I told him that for the most yes, except Tank, Ella, Louis, and you, Ranger. I explained that yours and Tanks had the ability to jam the cameras. He asked what Stephanie's access was. I told him the same as mine."

"So, it seems he realized he would need Stephanie's key fob to get up to seven. I think he knew that Steph's was different from Cal's at that time." Tank continued.

"You mean he hoped that I would accept his proposal, use my key fob to get in here, and then marry me while hoping that I would cheat on him with Ranger?"

"Yup. But only after you were pregnant. He wants a legitimate child badly. He was hoping for two. He wanted to get you knocked up as soon as possible, and once you gave birth, he wanted to knock you up again. By your second anniversary he wanted two kids."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. He knows I don't even know if I want children. "He's sick."

"So, what's the big plan?" Carlos asked.

"We are going to bring Vinnie on board. We can use Harry as leverage to get him to work with us and the fact that he and Stephanie are cousins. Vinnie will help us to bug Connie. Tank is going to bug Lula, because we think she knows something. She has been popping up around Morelli a lot this past week. I think she's trying to get him in her bed." Bobby said.

"She did call him Officer Hottie." I added, "But I can't see him going for her. He's more into Burg woman."

"No, he won't go for her. She's too easy. He likes a little bit of a challenge. She wouldn't be one." Carlos said.

"She would probably break him." Tank added with a laugh.

"I heard a rumor the other day." Hal started, then paused. "You won't like it, Steph, and I'm not sure it's true. I was trying to find out its validity before tell you, but I think you need to hear it now." He looked at Carlos, then Tank, then me and said, "Your sister is pregnant with Morelli's baby."

"What!? Did you just say Valerie is pregnant with Joe's kid? When the hell were they together? She always has the kids with her, is with Albert, or my parents. How the hell did he get an opportunity to sleep with her?"

"Wasn't Albert at that conference two or three months ago for a week?" Carlos asked.

"Yes, it was in Los Angeles. He didn't want to go but she convinced him that it would be good for his business to go. She had him take his mother and the two babies so they could bond. Now that she is on speaking terms with her mother-in-law, she thought it would help. She just had Mary Alice and Angie home. And while they were in school she would be free to be with Joe."

"Let me guess, she's three months along." Carlos stated.

"Yes. Albert is convinced it's his. He doesn't realize he wasn't around. Valerie may want to confront Morelli." Tank said.

We all paused to think. "We need to bug Morelli. We need to put it someplace where he will always have it on him. We need to hear all his conversations. He's too smart to conduct his business in his home." I tell everyone.

While we were talking, Ella came up with dinner for us. Now that we knew that everyone in headquarters was not involved, we could move down to one of the conference rooms. I knew that Morelli always wore a medal under his shirt. His Grandma Bella gave it to him for protection. He never took it off. "Joe always wears a medal. If we can get a bug small enough, I'll put it on the medal."

"Steph, how will you do that?"

"I'll go and beg for his forgiveness. I'll tell him I think you set me up. I'll tell him I'm going to stay in my apartment. I'll try to go along with it for a week. Then, I'll change my mind and come back home. He'll want to have sex, which I'll let him, and while he is sleeping I'll plant the bug."

"No." All the men answered at once. "The bug on the medal will work, but you will not be the one to put it on him. We need a distraction." Carlos said.

"Boss, I think we have someone in Boston who could do it. She's not as good as Steph, but she'll be his type. She's good looking, and she is definitely the type to catch a man's attention." Tank said.

"Yes, I think Monica will be perfect for this. Do you think she'll be up to take it all the way for the sake of the mission?"

"I think so. We could always have her drug him if she won't sleep with him. She was a medic."

"I'll contact her."

"Wait a minute. Let me get this clear. You want to have another woman, this Monica, come here from Boston to hit on Morelli and then sleep with him to plant the bug. How can you ask an employee, especially a woman, to sleep with some guy who is a jerk? I don't know if he's a gentle with his one-night stands, especially if he's trying to get from them what he wouldn't get from me."

"Babe, she's ex-Army. She completed Ranger school, but was unable to serve in our Regiment because she was a woman. She has many of the same skill sets as Tank and me. She knows the importance of the team and would want to help get this sexual predator what he deserves. She was subjected to harassment during her time in the Army, which is why she left. If you want, I'll wait to give her the particulars until she is here and you can see her reaction."

"Fine. Invite her here."

Carlos got his phone, called his counterpart in Boston, and asked him to have Monica report to Trenton headquarters by 0800 tomorrow. "Okay. That's settled. Now Hector, find me the technology. No price. The rest of you, let's start to infiltrate the Burg woman who might have been with Morelli and see if we can learn anything. Night."


	9. Chapter 9--New Partnerships

Chapter 9—New Partnership

Carlos and I were up at six to get ready for the day. I started to have a nightmare, but Carlos woke me up and held me, which let it stop. I feel better that I can kiss him without getting panicked, and be able to have that intimacy is helpful after a nightmare. Carlos finished his boring oatmeal and fruit, and I finished with my bacon and eggs.

"Tell me a little bit about Monica."

"I told you, she trained to be Ranger, passed second in the class, only not be accepted because she is a woman. She's smart, ambitious, and dangerous. She went on to become a medic, and she was the medic I would request whenever I controlled the members of my team. I knew that she was tough and could operate under the dangerous and often inhospitable conditions that we were in because of her Ranger training. As far as I was concerned, she was a Ranger. She stayed in longer than me, and when she got out, I recruited her immediately. I offered her Trenton, but she wanted Boston. She had family there and need time to reconnect with her roots. She does well there for me."

"Were you ever an item?"

"Babe."

"Well, were you?"

"No, Stephanie. I told you, I didn't date women. I didn't sleep with her, either. It's not a good idea to get romantically involved with members of your unit. It could lead to you making a mistake that could cost you or someone else their life."

At 7:30, we got a call from Tank to announce that Monica was here. Carlos told Tank to let her in and get breakfast or coffee. He was on his way down.

"Babe, finish getting dressed and be down at 8, please. We have a little catching up to do."

I quickly put the dishes in the dishwasher and decided to take a 5-minute shower. I put my hair in a pony and dabbed some mascara on. I put on my black jeans and black RangeMan t-shirt. My jeans were a little snug. I haven't been running to food like I usually do, but it's probably still stress related. I grab my keys and go down to the fifth floor. I'm a few minutes early, but I figure, why should I wait. I hear Carlos in his office, so I walk in.

Carlos has her in an embrace and whispers in her ear "Mi angel hermoso, I've missed you." Hold on, wait a minute. That seems a little too intimate to me, and he called her 'angel'? I'm not sure what 'hermoso' meant, but it must be something sweet. I clear my throat. "Stephanie, this is Monica, Monica."

I cut Carlos off. "Ranger, out of the office." I give him my best Burg glare. He stands there looking at me. "OUT. RANGER. NOW!"

Tank hears me and comes to the office. "Morning Steph. Is everything okay." I don't even look at Tank. I just say, "Get Ranger out of the office now and close the door behind you." I don't know where this jealousy came from, but I need to mark my territory with this "angel" from the start. Tank goes over to Carlos. "Come on, Ranger, let's go into my office. Let Stephanie and Monica get to know each other." He pulls him along. Carlos stops by me "Babe." I don't even look at him. I hear Monica say under her breath "Men are so stupid."

The door closes. Before I can say anything, Monica sits down and starts to talk. "Stephanie, before you start, let me set one thing straight. I am not interested in a more personal relationship with Ranger. I understand why you reacted the way you did, and I don't think Ranger has any clue what he did." She laughed. "When those kids hacked into the system here and some guys from Boston came here to help, they came back with stories about Ranger's Babe. She was this hot chick who had the highest access here, who was the only one besides Tank, Ranger, and his housekeeper and her husband, who could get anywhere in the building, including seven. They said that Ranger gives this chick his cars, help, and clothes even though she was involved with some cop. You are that Babe."

Her knowledge of me took me by surprise. Up until last night, I didn't know she even existed. "What else did they tell you about me?"

"That you were dedicated and loyal to Ranger above all others, including Tank, and that the rest of the guys here would rather take a bullet than let anything happen to you if they were your partner. Ranger was never happy if you were in danger, but when you were with him, he was the greatest boss." She paused before continuing. "One of the Boston guys commented that you were sexy and he would be interested in asking you out. The other guys told him you were off limits, and that if he were to say anything other than "hello" to you, he would be sorry. He said that the guys here were just as loyal to you as Ranger, maybe even more so."

"Okay, that makes me feel better." I sighed. "What did he call you and why?" I took a moment to read her. She looked amused. "I don't know much about you other than you went to Ranger school with Ranger and did get accepted because you are a woman and then went on to become a medic."

"Ranger calls me his beautiful Angel because I saved his life once. He was on a mission, and I was the medic for the squad. Ranger got a bad knife wound in his abdomen. He would have bled out if I didn't find the source of the bleeding and stop it when I did. I did it while we were under attack. Carlos saved me once when one of the men in school with us devised a plan to try and get me kicked out of the Army. Ranger found out about it and told me. Together, we made our plan and got him kicked out instead of me. I am forever grateful to Carlos for that, and he is grateful for me. He is my boss, and that is the only relationship I want with him. I am too much of an alpha female ever to be able to put up with Ranger. And yes, I occasionally slip and call him Carlos because that is what name he went by when we met, though I know everyone calls him Ranger now."

"Thank you for being honest with me. The last week and a half have been hell. I am normally not _that_ jealous. However, because of stuff, I found out recently, I'm very protective of Carlos myself, and will not let anyone come between us. I feel better to know that I know your history, and I am glad you are on my side and are not the competition."

"You know, I was considering moving here, to be closer to someone I dated a while back. I like you, and I think it would be good if we could partner together sometimes. When I do distractions, a wing girl is sometimes needed more than a wingman, and I think we could do great together."

"I think so too. We'll have to see what Carlos has to say." I laugh.

"Should we call the boys back in or join them in the conference room?"

"Go to the conference room. Maybe someone clued Carlos in on what went on in here." We walk out of Carlos's office and into conference room 3, which is the largest one. "Babe, are you okay?"

"We'll talk about this later." I look at Monica, and we both roll our eyes. Clueless.

"Well, it seems you two ladies are fast friends. Should we bring Monica up to speed?" Tank asked.

"Yes, I think that would be a good idea," I said.

Carlos and Tank fill Monica in on the events of the last couple of weeks. I fill her in on my history with Morelli. I explain to her what he is like and what he likes in women, and how he will be pushy and thinks he's God's gift, thanks to the women of the Burg. I apologize for having to put her in a position to be with someone who she doesn't want or like for the sake of work.

"Stephanie, after all, that you've been through, it would be my honor to help you find out just how much of an asshole this Morelli is." She looked at Carlos, "Do you have a picture?"

Ranger brought up a picture of Morelli. It was a good picture of him. I had to admit; he did look handsome. "Wow, this won't be too difficult. He is a hottie."

I laugh, "That's what my coworkers call him, Officer Hottie."

"Which one?" Monica inquires. "Lula," I answer.

"So, when do you want me to make contact? I'm looking for a house to rent this morning, but I can be ready for tonight if you want."

"Where's the house?" Carlos asked. She gave him the address.

"Oh, my. If you take the house, you will be his next-door neighbor."

"Then I guess I'm taking it. Getting Joe will be easier than I thought." Monica exclaimed.

The alarm on Carlos's watch went off. "Babe, it's time for your appointment. We'll be back when the appointment is over."

We leave the conference room and head for seven. We got in the elevator and Carlos looks at me, and I can see he's mad. "Don't you ever kick me out of my office ever again. You undermined my authority in front of my men, and I don't appreciate it."

"Then don't call another woman "My beautiful Angel' without giving me the full history ahead of time. Just like you don't share, neither do I and after finding out how Joe's been fiddling with my friend and my sister, I'm a little more possessive of my man. If the circumstances were reversed, you would have been kicking some guys ass."

"Point taken, and I'm sorry. I take it Monica filled you in."

"Yes, she did, and I like her. She's talking about moving here and working out of Trenton. She thinks we can be a great team and good partnership. I think so too."

"Then, when the time is right, it will happen. Does that mean you are going to quit Vinnie and work for me full time?"

"Maybe, but I will never work _for_ you, but I will work _with_ you."

We enter our apartment and find Dr. Hendrickson waiting in Carlos's home office. "Good morning, Dr. Hendrickson. Thanks for coming on such short notice and giving us so much time."

"For you, Manoso, anything." He looks at me, "And you, I gather, are Stephanie. I am so glad to meet you, though I wish it were under better conditions than the present ones."

"Me too, and thank you for coming."

"Manoso, I must ask that you leave us alone. I should speak to Stephanie one-on-one. If she needs you, I'll contact you."

"Okay, doctor, just call extension 1 for my office and 2 for Tank. It'll be okay, Steph. Don't worry." He gives me a big hug and light kiss before whispering in my ear "I love you, Babe."

He leaves me, and the doctor and I start to talk.

It's three, and my session is finally over. Dr. Hendrickson prescribe me some anti-anxiety medicine that should help with the nightmares. He listened to my childhood, from my earliest memories until I graduated high school. He said we'd pick up tomorrow at ten again. I found out he lives in Chicago, and Carlos is paying him to be here exclusively for me until I am no longer in need of his services. I can't believe what he is willing to do for me.

Six weeks have passed since my first session with Dr. Hendrickson, and I am feeling much better. I understand how my parents, especially my mom, influenced me to be who I am. I have given up trying to please them, and no longer care if they are happy for me, most of the time. I also understand why I had this strong desire to be a Burg woman, even though I'm not sure if I want to have children or even get married. But most of all, I am learning to accept the unconditional love that Carlos has for me, a love that doesn't ask for anything in return, and love that accepts me for who I am. The nightmares are still here, but the medication is helping them to be less intense. I have learned that if Carlos is not with me when I have a nightmare, it is violent, scary and intense. If he is there, he can push it away and wake me before it gets too bad.

Monica has settled in her rented house next to Morelli, and he has taken notice of his new, sexy neighbor. She has asked him for help a couple of times, and he has delivered. Monica is driving a two-year-old blue Jeep so that he won't connect her to RangeMan. She can wear whatever she wants as long as it's not the RangeMan uniform. I have been spending time with her here, and she excited to so some skip chasing once we nail Morelli down. I think that our partnership will be perfect. I have noticed that she also spends a lot of time with Bobby. I think he was her motivation to move to Trenton. I asked him about it one afternoon when we were working and he confessed to me that she is the only woman for him. I'm trying to encourage him to let her know, but he doesn't want to until the distraction is over, not that I blame him.

We managed to plant some bugs around Morelli, and we heard my sister confront him one-day last week. It was difficult for me to listen to what they said, but it did help me to move on.

My sister showed up at Joe's house, unannounced, and knocked on the door. Joe let her in. Then the fireworks started. "You got me pregnant, you bastard."

"What do you mean, I got you pregnant. You said you were on the pill and I wore a condom. It had to be your pathetic husband who got you knocked up, sweetie."

"Well, it wasn't. It had to be you. The date of conception corresponds to when Albert was out at a conference. It would have been impossible for him to be the father because when he returned, he had a vasectomy. We went without sex for almost two months. He knows he's not the father."

"So, what do you want me to do? That brat is not my responsibility."

"This brat is your child."

"No, the only woman who will _ever_ carry my child is your sister. You're just a one-night stand. I don't care about you and don't want to be connected to you, other than as my sister-in-law. Stephanie is the woman I love. I thought that maybe you would be as good as she is in bed, but you're not. At least your sister can go multiple rounds. You barely got through two. I'm not taking responsibility for your mistake. You're married. You want to destroy your reputation, annoy your mother and upset the Burg, go ahead and make public that you had an affair with your sister's almost-fiancé and got pregnant. We'll see who comes out looking bad."

"Fuck you, Joseph Morelli! I will do everything in my power to make sure you never get Stephanie, though I don't have to do much. She's been shacked up with Ranger for the last month and is constantly with him or his men. When I have seen them together, they inseparable. Good luck competing with Batman when you are just a player from the Burg." With that, Valerie gathered some dignity and walked out. As much as I felt terrible for my sister, I did feel happy that she got what she deserved. The Doc said that was a healthy reaction.

The one thing that had me worried was that I didn't get my period. I think it's been about six or seven weeks since. I've noticed that my pants are getting a little snug, but I have not been eating poorly. I've been eating very healthy. I asked Monica to pick me up a pregnancy test, and I will take it in the morning.

Carlos opens the door to seven and comes to me. "The doctor said you are doing much better and feels that you may only need another session or two before he can go back to Chicago. He'll be available for Skype sessions if you need."

"I feel much better, but we have another problem."

"What's that?"

"I think I may be pregnant, but I have no idea who the father of this baby could be. In the week before, I had sex with Joe, made love to you, and was raped. Any of you could be the father. While I can deal with Joe being the father, I can't even think about the possibility of this child is the result of rape."

Carlos took a deep breath. His eyes showed how much he was hurting. "What if the child is mine?"

"That's what I'm praying for; I'm praying that this child is ours because we love each other. I'm not even sure if I want to be a mother, but if I am going to be a mother, I want you to be the father. I have a pregnancy test, and I'm going to take it tomorrow morning."

"If it comes back positive, we'll get a paternity test as soon as possible. Even if it's not my child, I will raise this child with you and treat this child as my own. You'd never have to tell anyone that your child is not mine."

"I know, Carlos, but I'm not sure that I want this child if it is Morelli's or worse."

"I understand, but whatever the case, and whatever you decide, I'm here for you."

"But I thought you didn't want any more children?"

"Babe, I love you. If we conceived a child, then it's fate telling us that we are meant to be parents together. It is fate kicking me in the butt and telling me to man up and be the man I need to be for you. He got up and walked into the bedroom. When he came out, he had a box in his hand. "I've had this for about a year. When my Abuelo died, my Abuela Rosa stopped wearing her engagement ring. I'd always admired it. I have spoken to her a lot about you, and have asked for her advice on many occasions. She kept telling me to make a move and to stop pushing you away. I obviously didn't listen. Then, when I finally told her about Hawaii, she gave me her engagement ring. She said that she wanted me to give this to you because Abuela Rosa knew that our love for each other was what she had with my Abuelo Ricardo." Ranger paused and then got down on one knee, "Stephanie Michelle Plum, will you give me the honor of being my wife? Will you let me love you the way you are meant to be loved? Will you marry me?" With that, he opens the box to reveal a beautiful engagement ring. There was a heart shaped diamond that had to be at least 4 carats. I looked him in the eye and said one word "Yes." Then the tears of joy came, and I wept as he put the ring on my finger.

"I know you said that you wanted something with more diamonds on it, but it was my Abuela's, so I hope you like it. If you don't, I can get you something else. The only thing different is I had the stone changed out. My Abuela had cubic zirconium, not a diamond." Carlos said.

"No, this is perfect. The fact that you are giving me an heirloom, something means so much to you, and that you are giving me your heart, it's perfect." I kissed him. His arms came around me and mine were around his neck. He was pulling me to him, and his kiss became deeper and more intimate. Our tongues were moving all over each other mouths. He broke away to look at my eyes. I know what he's asking. I nod. He moves his kisses to my neck and shoulder and continues to hold me near him. I feel him getting aroused, and so am I. I reach down and start to pull off my shirt. "Are you sure, Babe?" I nod yes. He picks me up and carries me into the bedroom and places me gently on the bed. His kisses move from my shoulder down. He kisses the top of my breasts, above my bra, and then down to my belly. He gently kisses my tiny bump and says "Mine." God, I hope so. He comes back up to my breasts and teases them through my bra. He checks with me before removing it. Once he does, his uses his hands to touch my breasts; he gently rubs my nipples with his fingers before squeezing them slightly. He moves his mouth to my right breast while continuing his finger play with my left before switching. I've missed this so much. I've missed his hands, his mouth, his manhood, everything. I was getting a little nervous, though. He seemed to sense me tensing up a bit. "Babe, if you want me to stop, I will. We don't have to do this now. I can wait."

"No, Carlos, I have to push through a bit. Just continue to be slow and gentle."

He returned to kissing my breasts and moved down to my belly again. He kissed all on the top of my pants. I lift my hips, and he takes the hint and removes by pants. His kisses run up and down my legs, skipping over my center. I am so aroused by him, but still a little scared. "Mouth or fingers?" "Mouth."

He begins to kiss around the outside of my core, then he follows with his tongue. He moves my legs further apart to get a better angle. He goes between the folds with his tongue and moves to lick my nub. I feel an orgasm coming on. Then he moves away and kisses all around. He starts to run his fingers over me gently. It feels so good. He once again looks for my approval. I nod. He gently places on finger inside me while attacking my nub with his mouth. He moves slowly in and out; he's driving me crazy. I have my first orgasm, and he immediately brings me back to a second and then a third. I guess this is what happens when I go too long without Carlos's magic. I'm not ready to take him inside me yet, but I want him pleasured as well. I shift so Carlos is on his back with me on top of him. I kiss his mouth, to try and thank him for a job well done before moving down his chest. His body is so perfect, so toned and so muscular, so much better than Morelli's. He is such a perfect specimen of a man. I get take off his pants, and his member is ready. I kiss the very tip of him and gently run my tongue back and forth. He lets out a moan. I now look at him. He nods for me to go on. I continue to kiss his member, not taking it into my mouth yet. I start to lick it up and down and across the top. "Babe, you're killing me." I know. And I love it. I put my mouth over it and slowly move my mouth down over it. I pull back up just as slow and lick his tip before repeating. I go slow about five times before quickening the pace. When I feel he's getting close, I stop and just lick him again. I repeat this process three more times. "Babe, I can't take this anymore. Please." I look at him and smirk. "I think I'm too tired to continue, I tease." He responds, "You're playing with fire and payback will be a bitch." Oh boy. I go back and repeat the long, slow movement into and out of my mouth before quickening the pace. I grab his balls as I start to go faster and this time, let him release. I don't stop moving my mouth until he pushes me away because it's too sensitive. "Steph, Babe, that was amazing. Thank you."

"No, Carlos, thank you. I didn't think I could let you touch me again, and now you have."

He started to play with my breasts again. He pulled me on top of him and put up his knees so I could lean back on them. He ran his hands up and down, and back to my core. I felt him get hard against me, and I couldn't help but rub against him a bit. I looked at Carlos. "I'm going to try with you inside me. I don't know if I can finish."

"Don't worry if you can't. We'll finish each other like we just did."

I, with his help, got his member inside me. I moved slowly down onto him. He felt so good inside me. I slowly started to ride him up and down, trying to get as high as I could without him coming out. He obviously likes it. I was enjoying it too, but I was getting tired. My ribs were starting to hurt, and I wasn't sure if I could go much longer. I was scared to have him on top. He was helping by moving along with me, but it was still taking too much work. "Do you want to switch positions?" Normally, he'd just flip me over goes for it. But, he was what I needed him to be. "We can try, but" "Don't worry. I understand."

He flipped me over while staying inside me. He was fear in my eyes; then he gently kissed me. "It's okay Babe, it's me, Carlos. I won't hurt you." He started to move very slowly in and out. The fear started to subside. He started to go faster, but not too fast. I could tell he was holding back. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted him badly. I wanted the release badly. "Now, Carlos. Don't hold back anymore." With that, he went faster and rubbed my nub with his hand. We both peaked together, but he didn't pull out. He stayed in and started off slow again. Soon, we were both there again, and we were spent. He pulled out of me and laid down on his back before pulling me on him. "I love you, Babe."

"I love you too, Carlos." I sighed a sigh of contentment and peace. "What time is it?" He looks at his watch 6:30. Are you ready for dinner?"

"Yes." I realized I was starving. I get up and walk to the bathroom. Carlos makes to get up himself. I turn to him "Stay. I can't take another round right now." He laughs, and I take a shower. When I come out, he goes in. He tells me Ella will have dinner up in 10 minutes. I see his silhouette, and I think about joining him, but that I remember Ella is on her way up, so I finish getting dressed and wait for her in the kitchen.


	10. Chapter 10--A New Life

Chapter 10—A New Life

Carlos's alarm went off at 5. I get up with him. I am too nervous to sleep. I go into the bathroom and read the directions for the pregnancy test. I took one a few years ago when I thought I was pregnant with Joe's child. I wasn't at the time, thank God. I pee on the stick and wait three minutes. It comes up positive. I'm so excited to have a new life growing inside me, but I'm petrified that it's not Carlos's. With Carlos, I can face anything, but I don't want to raise Joe's or Jose's kid and don't want Carlos to have to do that either. I walk out of the bathroom to see Carlos sitting on the bed, a bundle of nerves.

"Well?" He asks.

"I'm pregnant." He runs to me and lifts me up and gives me a huge kiss. "We don't even know who the father is! How can you be so excited when this child may not be yours?"

"Babe, my Abuela called last night after you fell asleep. She called to tell me she had a dream that you were with child, my child. I told her what happened and the questions we have. She said she knows that this is my child. I did some research and found out that we can get a paternity test as early as eight weeks into your pregnancy. You are almost there now, so we can find out, for sure, soon. Why don't you make an appointment with your doctor and we'll find out how far along you are? Once you hit eight weeks, we'll get a test done. I'll put in for rush results, which we'll get within 12-72 hours."

"I sincerely hope your Abuela is right, Carlos. But I can't get super excited until I know for sure."

He left the gym, and I decided to start my day. I take a shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast. I begin to daydream about what our child would look like, with Carlos's hair and my eyes. I think about what my mom would say. Carlos and I are engaged, but I don't think I want to marry him before I have the baby. I want to clear up this mess first, and then we can talk about a date. I hope that I am a good mother. I'm not sure I even know HOW to be a good mother. Ella comes in and sits across from me. "Mi hija, are you okay? You look a little lost."

I look into her eyes and see her concern. Here is my mother. "I'm not sure. I took a pregnancy test and found out that I am pregnant. The problem is, I don't know who the father is. I conceived this child at a time when I had sex with Joe, made love with Ranger, and was raped. I am praying that Ranger is the father because that is what I want the most. I could deal with it be Morelli's child because, at one point in time, we did love each other, but I don't think I can keep this child if the father is Jose." I admitted my biggest fear to Ella. "I think I would have an abortion, which is against my upbringing and moral code, but I don't think I could truly love a child that was a product of rape. I would also consider adoption, but again, it would be hard to carry this child for nine months and then give them away. I'm so conflicted. Ranger is convinced that the child is his, and I want to share his optimism, but we would have to wait at least another week or two to find out for certain. If it's not his, I'm afraid he'll be devastated."

"Mi hija, I understand how you feel. You have every right to be scared and unsure. But know this. Regardless of who this child belongs to biologically, the child is already Ranger's. He will never abandon you or your child. Whatever you decide, he will support you."

"I know that which is what makes it even harder for me. I have learned that I was never really loved like I should have been, which is why it's so difficult for me to accept this unconditional love from Ranger, and you. You have become my mother in these last few weeks. I am so grateful to you." I hug Ella and kiss her cheek. She kisses me back.

"You have become the daughter I never had but always wanted. You make Ranger so happy, happier than I have ever seen him." It seems she finally sees the ring on my finger. "He finally asked you, huh? Took him long enough." She gave me a big hug. "Congratulations, mi hija."

We heard the door open, and a sweaty Carlos walked in. "I see you got a good workout in."

Ella walked over to him, and said: "It's about time you are making an honest woman out of Stephanie, and I know that you will be great parents." With that, she left.

"I hope you don't mind I told her, Carlos."

"No, I don't. It seems Ella has become your surrogate mother and you, her daughter."

With that, he went to take a shower. Part of me wanted to join him, but I wasn't ready for shower games just yet. Last night was terrific, but I'm still apprehensive about being with him again. The physical part of our relationship is so important and such a big part that it's hard being without it.

He finishes and comes out. We head to the conference room together.

"Bobby, are you ready to go get some skips today?" I ask once we enter.

"Yeah, it's been two days since food has been thrown at me, I've been shot at, or I'd had to chase someone down. I'm getting bored."

"Always the joker," I add with a laugh. The guys are used to Carlos and I holding hands and don't even look twice. I sit down and get ready for the update. The only one missing is Monica. Monica has quickly become my best friend. She is beautiful, with long, straight blond hair, dark brown eyes, and an olive complexion that makes me look pale in comparison. I know she is the right person to use to set up Morelli. I just wish he'd take the bait already.

The door opens, and Monica walks in. "He finally took the bait. We have a date for Friday night." She looks at me, "You have to help me coordinate my wardrobe…holy cow! Congratulations! He finally asked you?" She runs over to me and gives me a big hug. We look around the room at the guys who have no idea what she's talking about, who didn't notice the rock on my finger. We look at each other and roll our eyes, "Men" we say in unison. She goes over to Ranger and hugs him and says "It's about time. What took you so long?"

Finally, Tank bites the bullet and asks what the rest of the guys are missing. "Monica, what are you talking about? What are we missing?"

"Don't you see this rock on Stephanie's hand? Ranger proposed to her and she accepted. Goodness, if it isn't a gun, you don't see anything." She shook her head and laughed.

The guys looked back and forth from me to Ranger before he acknowledges the announcement and confirmed with a nod. "Last night, I asked Stephanie to become my wife and she said yes." My men immediately surround me, all hugging me and kissing me and giving Ranger high fives and fist pumps. "I never thought we'd see this day with Ranger's ring on your finger. How are we going ever to get used to a new Boss?" Lester said.

"Maybe now we'll get some cookies every once in a while," Hal added.

"Very funny, all of you, but we have work to do." Ranger got them back on track but he had a small smile on his face.

I turn to Monica. "Where is Morelli taking you?"

"He said this restaurant Rossini's. It's apparently a nice Italian restaurant here in Trenton."

"It is, they have good food and good dessert. For your outfit, we need to go borderline slut. A dress, low cut and form fitting, maybe halfway down your thigh, and of course, FMPs."

"He is that stereotypical? So disappointing. If you don't mind me asking, if I do wind up in his bedroom, will it worth it, at least?"

I look at Carlos, and look at Monica and say "He's no Batman, but he's good. He has some skills, tends to be playful before turning serious. He likes to be in control and on top always. He is also very open to a variety of positions, some of which you may not be open to trying. He never pushed me, but he did try often."

"Okay, good to know. Does Joe have condoms?"

"He did while we were together because I insisted upon it, but I would bring some anyway. Not having a condom would not be a game stopper for him." I sighed. "He has been with almost every woman in the Burg within two years of him, mostly his age and younger. He was, and is, a playboy who is idolized by the older Burg woman since he became a cop, inherited his house, and got a dog. He's arrogant to believe that the Sun rises and sets around Joe Morelli and that everyone woman in the world wants to be in his bed, and that he is the best lover in the world, which I can tell you, while he is good, he is not the best."

"Okay. I can handle Joe. It's good to know what I'm up against so I can prepare. Is he into water sports?"

"Yes, he is, and he can be pretty good there too, but lacks the stamina there. He's better on dry land." I look at Carlos and can see he's not happy with this conversation. Monica sees it too. She's the first to react. "Ranger, this is a mission, and during a mission, operatives need to know what they are up against. If this were me talking about an ex-lover, you'd be fine with it. Don't give Stephanie grief because she has to share, and share in front of the other operatives. We are all professionals. Get over your embarrassment and anger and get focused on the mission."

"Monica, you're right. I just don't like sharing."

"You aren't. Do you think Steph is enjoying this? I know that we'd be much happier talking about her fiancé in the bedroom while having girl time than talking about this playboy." With that, Monica looked at me and I at her and we both nodded and laughed. We will talk about his magic in the future.

Tank and the other guys chuckled and Carlos was embarrassed at the thought of me sharing his abilities in the bedroom. It was a sweet emotion to see him have. I recovered first. "Here's the plan. Monica, I need to you to make Joe think that you are totally into him and are looking for a potential husband. You need to ask about any previous relationships he might have had and try to find out why such a hottie like him is still available. You want to make him think you can't understand why any woman wouldn't want to be his wife. If you feed his ego, he should open up and we will probably be able to find out information we need. I don't know how many dates you'll need to go on, but I do think that you will need at least two to three. Are you sure you can handle him?"

"Yes. Now I have to go shopping to get the perfect dress for my date. Where is the best place to go around here?

"Quakerbridge Mall. They have a Macys and a Victoria's Secret." I answer quickly. "I would go with you, but we can't be seen together."

"I'll buy a few different dresses and then I'll bring them back here to show you. I think I'll also ask Joe about places to get a job. I told him I did research for a PI firm in Connecticut and that I'm looking for a similar position here. I'll see if he recommends RangeMan. If he still wants Steph, I could see him doing that to try to get a spy in here or to try and get Ranger to dump Steph. Just wait until he finds out you are engaged!"

"Make sure to put any expenses on a voucher. RangeMan will cover the cost. Don't worry about the price." Carlos told her.

"Woo Hoo! Can't wait to go shopping!" With that, she ran out of the room.

"Bobby, are you ready to go to the bond office?" I ask.

"Yup, let's hit the road, Hotshot." He looked at Ranger, "Don't worry; I have a will and all my affairs in order should you find it necessary to kill me. Just let me have one phone call first." We ran out of the room.

Outside the conference room, I told Bobby to head downstairs. I had to stop up at seven to get my purse and I had to make an appointment. I got up to seven and called my gynecologist. I explain my situation and get an appoint for next Friday. Ten more days until the pregnancy is confirmed, and about 12 until I know if Carlos is the father. I text Carlos with the appointment time and tell him I love him. I ride the elevator to the garage and step out to see Bobby and Monica having what looks like an argument. I hit the fob for my car and she gets in her car and leaves. Bobby seems upset. He gets into my car and I get in and drive to the bond office.

"Bobby, I know it's none of my business, but what's going on between you and Monica? I can sense that you have a history together and that you obviously love her. Does this have anything to do with what she has to do with Morelli?"

"Yes, I'm not happy that she's willing to sleep with him for the better good. I know that it won't mean anything to her and that she'll be helping you, but it still hurts. I don't know how Ranger stays so cool while you are doing distractions. It pisses me off to see those men touch my sister, but to do that to my woman, I don't think I could watch it."

"I understand. I don't think that I could watch Ranger do a distraction, either, but sometimes, we need to deal with things we don't like to find out answers we need."

"Are you happy being engaged to Ranger? I didn't think you wanted to get married again."

"Yes. I'm so happy. I think part of my fear of commitment was that I was afraid I'd commit to the wrong person. I loved Morelli, but I not as a potential husband. More as a friend with benefits. From talking with the doc, I realized that I have been in love with Ranger for a long time now, and deep down, I know that the only man I wanted to marry was Ranger. He kept telling me that marriage was not an option for him, which was pushing me towards marrying Joe even though I knew I wouldn't be happy. The title 'wife' was more important than being happy. I figured I'd learn to love Joe and be happy as the good Burg wife."

"Then I am even more excited for you. Are you going to tell your parents and sister?"

"At some point. Maybe when I decide to out Valerie and her affair; as much as I don't want to hurt Albert because he is a good man, Valerie deserves to have her reputation ruined for sleeping with my boyfriend."

We arrive at the bond office and I park in front. I get out of the car with Bobby. We enter. "Hey, Connie, who do we have to get today?"

Lula sees my ring and squeals "OMG! You are engaged?! To Officer Hottie or Batman?"

I sigh and roll my eyes. "Lula, who have I been living with for the last two months? To Ranger, of course. He proposed last night and I accepted. We haven't set a date yet. We are probably going to have a long engagement."

She jumps up and hugs me and looks at the ring on my hand. "Damn, girlfriend, you can probably sell this ring and buy a house if things don't work out for you and Batman."

At this point, Bobby jumps in "I don't think that is something that will ever happen. If you only saw the two of them together over that last two months, you'd know that they perfect for each other. They are constantly holding hands and have too many PDAs." Connie was annoyed but was trying to act happy. Lula still seems to be unsure of our commitment. I didn't want to deal with their negativity.

"So, Connie, where are the files?"

"Right here. No repeat offenders." I take them from her and look at Bobby. We are about to leave when Vinnie comes into the office. "Stephanie, Bobby, so glad to see you. You need to get the losers. I'm bleeding money here."

"Vinnie, we've been bringing the skips in within two days of getting the file. You're bleeding nothing." Bobby responds.

"Both of you, come into my office. I have an FTA Ranger. He asked me to give you the file and the particulars."

"Who is it?" Connie demanded. "All FTAs are supposed to be assigned to me. I didn't see or hear of any high bonds."

"This is from a friend of mine. The skip is from California and is visiting family here. He sent me the information at my house. And last time I checked, I am the boss here, Connie."

Bobby and I follow Vinnie into his office. "Here's the video and audio from the FTA's office. I've also got eyes and ears on FTA in their car and home. I have that here as well. Tell Ranger I appreciate him taking this guy on for me."

"No problem."

"Now go get them!"

With that, Bobby and I leave the office and wait until we're in my car. Bobby does the bug check and comes up with two. We drive to Tasty Pastry, where I get a donut order from Bobby while he removes the bugs. He checks me and I check him. We find one in my pocket. We remove it. Then we head back to RangeMan. I have Bobby read me the files and we construct a plan of attack. I text Carlos to tell him we've been bugged and to have Hector meet us in the garage for another check.

I drive into the garage and Hector is waiting next to my spot. He has his detectors ready and first sweeps me again. Hector sees an additional bug on me. He also finds one on Bobby. Once cleared, we go into the elevator. I text Bobby to go to his apartment to get changed as a precaution and I go up to seven to do the same. I put the clothes in a bag to give to Hector to go over with a fine tooth come in the secure room. Bobby does the same. Once we get rid of our clothes, we go into the conference room.

"Those bitches bugged me. They put at least two devices on both Bobby and me. We got changed and gave our clothes to Hector to double check. They also bugged my car." I was livid.

"Babe, this is crazy. I think you need to quit Vinnie. The bond office isn't safe for you. You can go work for Sebring if you want to continue to go after skips, or I can just start writing bonds and you can go after them for me. I've been thinking of doing it for a while."

"I have been thinking about quitting Vinnie a lot recently, especially after I found out that Connie screwed me over. But I need to wait and see what happens in the next two weeks." Carlos knew what I was saying, but the rest of the guys didn't know.

Hector came in. "Tres mas."

"She must be desperate. How did they take it when they saw that we were engaged?"

"Connie looked pissed off and Lula didn't think it would last. She asked if I was engaged to 'Batman or Officer Hottie.' It made my stomach turn. Vinnie walked in and gave us an FTA for you if you can read between the lines."

Ranger took the file from me. "Where are the other files?"

"We left them in the car so Hector could check them. I had Bobby read the files to me in the car and we developed a plan of action for going after the skips. Nothing that would give Connie information we didn't want her to have."

"Good." Tank said.

"I need to get a line on Burg gossip. I want to know how many people know that we are engaged." I get my cell phone and call my grandmother. "Hi, Grandma Mazur. How are you?"

"Stephanie, is it true you're engaged to Ranger?"

"How did you find out? I was just calling to tell you."

"Well, apparently Connie called her mother, who called Joe's mother, who called your mother to rant and rave how your broke Joe's heart and she had to get you to break off the engagement and marry Joe. Your mom called Valerie and me, and then took calls from half the Burg. It's quite scandalous."

"What exactly are the women of the Burg saying?"

"That you are destroying your family by marrying that thug and that he is forcing you into marriage. They say because you are always with Bobby when you are out that he is holding you against your will."

I roll my eyes. "What do you think?"

"Are you happy Stephanie?"

"Yes, more than I ever thought I could be."

"Then I am happy for you. Ranger will let you fly. Joe will cut off your wings." Grandma paused, "Ranger is the man for you and has always been since the day you met. Go with your heart. You are nothing like your mother. You're like me. Don't settle just to satisfy the Burg."

"Thank you, Grandma. Oh, one more thing, I've heard rumors that Val is pregnant. Is that true?"

"Yes, she is. She's about five, six months along. I don't think Albert's the father. He wasn't home when she was impregnated. I think she had an affair. She swears the baby is Albert's, but he doubts it, and so does everyone else."

"What does mom have to say?"

"Well, until it is proven otherwise, your mother is defending Val. Albert and Val are going to a paternity test today. She'll get the results next week."

"Bye Grandma. I'll take you out for lunch in a day or two to show you the ring."

"Bye Steph. And give that stud muffin of yours a kiss from me." With that, she hung up.

"Well, the Burg know we are engaged but think that you're brainwashed me into accepting. Valerie announced her pregnancy, and there is talk that the baby isn't Albert's, enough that they are going to get a paternity test tomorrow."

"Hector, can you hack into the system?"

"Sì."

"Good. That information will be helpful." Carlos paused, "Do you know who her doctor is?"

"Yes, and I hated him, so I never used him after one visit. He was weird." I answered.

"Well, I guess you and Bobby should research those skips and make sure everything is on the up and up and Hector, Lester, and Cal will review what Vinnie gave you. We'll reconvene at three o'clock." Carlos finished. "Stephanie, can I talk to you in my office for a moment."

We walk into his office and he closes the door. The moment it's closed he has my back against the door and he is kissing me. He pulls away "Sorry, I didn't get a chance this morning. I keep thinking about last night. Do you want to go upstairs for lunch?"

I laugh and roll my eyes. "I don't think it's a good idea. I'm not sure I'm ready to be with you again tonight. I wanted to join you in the shower, but I couldn't bring myself to it."

"It's fine. I've been speaking to Dr. Hendrickson as well. This lack of intimacy, especially when we are committed to each other is hard to me. He explained that his was normal for a victim of rape and that it would take time before we were back to normal. I'm just afraid that you don't want to be with me at all. That you no longer desire me, and I know it's selfish, but I need to know that you still want me."

"Carlos, I want you as much as I always have, maybe more. I know I can't live without you. I know that if it weren't for you, I probably would be in a hospital. I wouldn't be able to deal and cope without you. And now, knowing that I'm pregnant and not knowing for sure who the father of my child is, I don't think I could handle it." I stop and sigh. "I know this is hard for you, and I appreciate your control and your honesty. I think once we find out the results of the paternity test next week, I'll be able to heal even more. However, I'm afraid someone will try and mess with our samples. Do you know someone else who could do the test? Someone, who you trust explicitly?"

"Yes, Monica. She's a medic and can pull the blood and send out the test under aliases. Do you want me to ask her?"

"No, I'll do it. Monica already knows I suspect I'm pregnant. She got the test for me." I continued, "I hope you don't mind, but she has become a sister to me, and sometimes these things are easier to discuss with a sister. You need to be careful with Bobby when she is with Morelli. Talk to him before putting him on the scene. He and Monica were an item before, and I think they want to try out a relationship again, and he is having difficulty with her doing this assignment. He told me he doesn't understand how you can sit there and watch me during a distraction and stay so cool."

"I thought so. I'll talk to Bobby before that night and make sure he can keep his cool. As it is, I'm already planning on having you on the desk here in control that night. You can't be around. Morelli will get suspicious if you are, and Bobby is your partner, so it's only natural that you would be together."

"I don't like it, but I'll go along with it. It's what makes the most sense." I kiss Carlos. "Let me get back to helping Bobby."

I leave and head to the office that I share with Bobby.

Monica returns at two from shopping and we go to seven so she can show me what she purchased. She has a purple cocktail dress with purple FMPs that remind me of the shoes I bought when Joe and I first reconnected. He loved those pumps, and I felt that would be the best outfit for her to wear on date night. I told her what Bobby told me, and she sighed.

"That was one of the reasons why I went to Boston instead of here. He didn't want me doing distractions. Maybe if Ranger talks to Bobby, he'll be better, but he shouldn't be on-site or too near me."

"As of this afternoon, Bobby and I are on the control desk here. Ranger wants me here, and being that Bobby is my partner, he will be here with me." I look at the clock. "We have to be downstairs in five, but I just want to let you know that I am pregnant. Carlos and I would like you to do the paternity test. I go to my doctor next Friday to officially confirm my pregnancy and to find out a due date. Once I know that I am at least eight weeks, we'll have you run the test. I don't trust anyone outside of here not to screw the results. I need them to be accurate. However, it may turn out."

"No problem, Steph. You want them run under aliases, I assume."

"Yes. That would be best."

"I'll set everything up for you two. And Steph, I know that it will be Carlos's. After everything you've been through, I can't see fate being that cruel to you."


	11. Chapter 11--The Conspiracy

Chapter 11—The Conspiracy

It's finally Friday night. Carlos spoke to Bobby about the difficulties of watching your significant other during a distraction, and Bobby relaxed a little. He knows that whatever Monica does, it won't be because she doesn't love him. It will be because she has to maintain her cover. Anymore wears the purple dress, and from the expression on all the guys' faces, I know that it was the right choice. She had Morelli pick her up at home, being that they are neighbors. He drives her to Rossini's and opens the door for her. He puts on all the charm. She flirts appropriately, and during dinner, starts to push for information.

"Joe, it seems that you know _everyone_ in Trenton. I've been trying to get a job in research for a PI or some similar firm, but no one seems to be hiring except for some security company. RingMan or RoundMen, something like that."

"You mean RangeMan," Joe says bitterly.

"Yes, that's the one. What do you know about that company? Some people I spoke to say it's run by a bunch of crazy street thugs who have no respect for women, some say that the owner brainwashes some chick into marriage, and others say it's a great company for which to work. From the job description, it seems right up my alley. I love office work, and this will give me steady hours and full benefits. What do you think?"

Joe looked annoyed to have to talk about Ranger and his company, but he did anyway. The eye on the prize. "My ex-fiancé is the woman you speak of who is engaged to the owner. She is the only female on staff, though she rarely worked there. I think he bought her with cars and other gifts. I don't trust him, but I think with him having Stephanie locked up there, you wouldn't be in danger."

"In danger from what?"

"Stephanie had at least three different people target her because she was friendly with Ranger. She was kidnapped, shot at, and stabbed because of him. Then he would rescue her. She calls him Batman." He paused before continuing, "He seduced her, and used to kiss her any chance he got. I know she didn't feel comfortable with his advances, she told me on several occasions that it bothered her. But, she often had to work with him and didn't know how to stop it. She was afraid of him, and now he is forcing her to marry him."

"Oh, my. I don't think I want to work for that company anymore. Do you have any ideas where I could get a similar job?"

"Not off the top of my head, but I'll think about it and let you know."

"What else can you tell me about this woman? The Burg does seem to buzz with talk about her. I never met her, but I feel like I know her."

"Well, we've been dating for years and engaged for a while, but she is afraid to get married. She married a lawyer who cheated on her and now doesn't want to commit. I loved her, but that wasn't enough. I know I just met you, and I don't want you to think badly of me, but I know that she cheated on me numerous times. During some of our "off" periods, I was with other women. Never when we were together, reaches I'm not proud of myself. I went with women who I thought would punish and hurt her to most if she ever found out."

"Really? I get that. I once slept with my ex-boyfriend's best friend just to get back at him for dumping me. I thought I was the only one who did things like that." Monica laughed.

"No, you're not alone." Joe said before adding, "I slept with her co-worker and friend Connie, her best friend Mary Lou, her sister, Valerie, her nemesis, Joyce, and my old high school sweetheart, Terry. The only thing that kept me going back to Steph was that she was good in the sack. She could be better and more adventurous, but she was good enough for me."

"I think that maybe I can make you change your mind about her."

"Now. Do you want to skip dessert and head back to my place or yours?"

"Yours. I don't have a bed yet. I've been sleeping on my couch."

"Okay." With that, Joe asked for the bill, they finished eating, and headed out.

Bobby turns to me, "Are you okay, Steph?"

"I can't believe that my best friend and my sister both betrayed me like that! And they're both married! I knew that he was still involved with Terry, and Connie I can at least understand because she's not married, and Joyce is a loser who just wants to punish me, but Marylou and Valerie. Those are the worst." I start to cry, and Bobby pulls me into a hug. "It's okay, Steph, they'll all get punished. And just remember, you have Ranger, who loves you unconditionally."

We go back to watching the monitors when Monica and Joe arrive at his house. We watch them enter his home, greet Bob, and walk into the kitchen. Joe takes out and opens two beers while he goes outside with Bob. Monica takes that moment to drug Morelli's beer. She dumps half of hers down the sink and then takes a swig as Morelli walks back it.

"You need to catch up, lover." Monica purrs while she downs the rest of the beer. Joe chugs his and starts to kiss Monica. We can see what's going on from the cameras that Ranger and Tank planted while they were at dinner. She gets him up to his bedroom and then pauses to leave to get another beer. Joe goes to leave, but Monica tells him to get himself ready. She's stopping in the kitchen and the bathroom first. Monica again opens two beers, dumps more than half of hers, and drugs the second beer. She stops in the bathroom and removes the dress to show the purple silk slip she had on beneath it. She walks back into the room with the two beers. Joe takes one look at her, downs his entire beer, and reaches out to her. He starts to kiss her and then gets tired. She pushes him down on the bed and tells him that she'll take over. He's asleep within 5 minutes. She puts the small bug on his medal and in his gun belt and an ankle holster. She gathers the empty bottles and replaces them with new empty bottles. She puts his finger prints on them along with hers. She leaves some condom packages and "used" condoms in the pail. She gets dressed and leaves. When Joe wakes up, he'll think they had sex and that he drank too much. She leaves a full 12-pack empty, so he'll think he drank more than he did. If they do any test on him, nothing will show up. She gave him the active ingredient in nighttime cold medicine. She signs off for the night.

Twenty minutes later Carlos rolls in with Tank. "Are you both okay?"

"Yes," we reply together. I continue "My partner helped me get through it."

"Monica was good. She kept her cool and got everything planted where we needed them. I forgot how good she was under pressure. I'm glad she was wearing that slip, though."

"It was my idea," I added. "I'm tired. Can we pack it in for the night?"

"Yes. I think that's a good idea. We'll meet tomorrow at 0900. Night." Carlos took my hand, and we walk to the elevator. When we get upstairs, I go straight into the closet the get ready for bed. I put on one of Ranger's t-shirts, go to the bathroom and wash up, and climb into bed. I'm asleep before Carlos gets in next to me minutes later.

I'm in that house again. I'm in his bed. I can't get off; I can't move my hands. I feel hands on my body, touching and grabbing me. I try to scream and can't. I can't breathe. I want Ranger, but he's not here. I call out to him. "Ranger, help me, please help me. Ranger, I need you". The man on top of me laughs at me. "You're nothing but a helpless, weak little girl. No one wants you; no one loves you. Ranger can't save you. Now, you will have me." I keep thrashing around, and then I hear his voice.

"Babe, mi amor, mi único amor, (my love, my one, and only love) I'm here. You're safe. You're with me. Mi amor, please wake up. It's Carlos. You're safe, Steph, you're safe." I open my eyes and see Carlos. He puts his arms around me. I scramble up. "Bathroom." I run to the bathroom and just make it in time to throw up in the toilet. Carlos is next to me, rubbing my back and holding my hair. "I love you, Babe. You're okay now."

I get up and brush my teeth and rinse with mouthwash. I collapse in Carlos's arms and just start to cry. He picks me up and carries me to bed. He sits on the edge of the bed with me on his lap. "Sssh. It's okay. He can't hurt you anymore. Mi amor, mi único amor, te quiero."

I finally calm down. "What did you say to me in Spanish?"

"I said, my love, my only love and I love you."

"I like the way it sounds. Te quiero, Carlos."

"Do you want to talk about the dream?"

"I was back in Jose's bedroom, in his bed. He was on top of me and touch me. I call out for you, but you don't come. Then he tells me I'm weak and helpless and that no one wants me and no one loves me. He says you can't save me."

"Mi amor. Babe, I love you, and I want you and I will always need you. Don't let him doubt what I feel for you. I'm sure what happened tonight with Joe and Monica didn't help. Do you want to go back to sleep? It's four in the morning. If you want to stay up and watch a movie or talk that's fine with me too."

I turn my head and face him. I lean in and kiss Carlos. It starts gently but quickly becomes more passionate. We pull apart for air. "I need you, Carlos. Make love to me, Carlos."

"You wish is my command, Babe."

I wake up the next morning on top of Carlos. I have only one of his t-shirts on. He, of course, is naked. I don't know how men can sleep in the nude. I can barely deal with being naked when making love, let alone sleeping. I'm surprised he's still asleep. I take advantage of the opportunity and start to kiss his chest, his collarbone, his neck, and work my way towards his mouth. By the time a get to his mouth, his arms are around me and pulling me against him. "Good morning, Babe. To what do I owe this wakeup call?"

"Just the fact that I woke up before you for once." I kiss him and straddle him. I feel him at attention already. His eyes get dark, and I can tell he's enjoying this. I rub my body against him, and he reached down and touched my core. He's trying to get me ready for him. I push him inside me and move around in circles. He continues to rub me with his fingers. I start to move up and down, and he matches my speed and intensity. I lean down to kiss him and he both reach our climax. I put my head on his chest. He kisses my head. "Te quiero, mi amor, my Stephanie."

"I love you, too, Carlos."

I get up to take a shower. When I come out, Carlos is looking at me with a strange expression. "What are you thinking?"

"You're starting to show. Most won't see it, but I do. I am hoping that by next weekend we can announce the good news to everyone. Come here, Babe." I walk to him, in my bra and panties, and he kisses my belly. It is so tender and loving, and It kills me inside.

"Carlos, I know you believe that this child is yours, but what if it isn't. I don't have your blind faith. Too much has happened to me in the past that I can't enjoy this journey until I know for sure."

Carlos sighs, and takes a moment to gather his thoughts. "Babe, I am so scared that this baby will be Morelli's, and even more scared that it will be that bastard's, but I can't let those thoughts fester. I am hoping and praying every second of every minute of every hour of every day that this baby is ours. I want to spoil this child as you should have been spoiled. I want to help you see what a wonderful mother you will be. I want this child to know how much he or she is loved by us both. But, if it is not mine, and you decide you don't want to have it, I will stand by you and, I hope, that we can try to have a child of our own as soon as possible. I never thought that I wanted to be a father again, but now that I might be, I can't think of anything else I want more. I already have you. Our child will make it perfect."

I sit on his lap and pull his head against my chest. I hold him there and I can feel some of his fears release as he cries. Seen He gets control quickly, and goes to take a shower.

We meet in the conference room at 9. Morelli has already called Monica to ask for another date. She sets one up for Tuesday.

"You're sure he thinks you slept with him?" Tank asks.

"Yes, I left him a note saying how I enjoyed the night and, using what Stephanie told me, added some details."

"I don't want to know" I heard Carlos say under is breathe. Monica and I rolled our eyes.

"What are we picking up on the feeds? Anything interesting?" Carlos asks.

"So far, no, but he's on his way to the bond office, at least it looks like it," Cal says. We watch his tracker and see that he is, indeed, heading to the bond office. He arrives at the office and goes inside.

"Hi Connie, is anyone in yet?" Joe asks.

"No. Vinnie is away with Lucille in Atlantic City and Lula doesn't come in on Saturdays now that Stephanie partners with Bobby." Joe walks around the desk and kisses Connie.

"I haven't been getting any information from the bugs. They don't seem to be transmitting. Are you sure you've turned them on and planted them?"

"Yes, I'm sure. The bugs were transmitting after they left. Lula and I heard them talk over the cases. Bobby read the information to her while she was driving. They stopped in Tasty Pastry for donuts. We had them pull up to RangeMan, and then they all went dead."

"That bitch found them. Didn't they mention anything about your reaction to her engagement? Isn't that strange. They probably suspected that they were bugged. Damn it. I knew this wouldn't work."

"Vinnie called them into his office, something about an FTA from out of state that he needed Ranger to pick up. He wanted Steph and Bobby to give Ranger the file, but he never spoke to me about it. When I tried to get more information from him, he wouldn't tell me. Something is up with him. He's been spending less and less time here. And, Steph isn't coming in to pick up files any more. She's asking I e-mail her the information to her RangeMan account, which is encrypted. I can't get past the encryption. Not to mention, I think it's a dummy account that's not set up with the rest of the RangeMan accounts. I think she suspects something."

"Well, Connie, acting anything less than surprised and happy at her engagement with Ranger after you've been pushing her towards him for years was stupid. Both you and Lula didn't react appropriately."

"I think she's knocked up. She looked a little heavy around the middle. I can't be sure, though."

"This could be interesting. If Stephanie is knocked up, depending on how far along she is, that baby could be mine. This pregnancy could be the break I'm looking for to get her back. I need to get some things in line. So, if no one is coming in, do you have some free time? Maybe we can go into Vinnie's office and talk a little more."

"I think I can arrange that. Let me just put the answering machine on and lock the front door."

"Connie and Joe, I can't believe it." Carlos came over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Steph, are you pregnant?" Tank asked. "If you are, we need to know so we can plan our course of action."

Carlos and I look at each other. I close my eyes and nod to him. "Yes, Stephanie is pregnant. She thinks she's about seven weeks along. Steph has an appointment with her doctor to confirm on Friday. However, she is not sure who the baby's father is. Morelli could be the father, I could be the father, or Jose Gonzalez could be the father." Carlos paused, "Monica will do a paternity test for us once she confirms her pregnancy and reaches eight weeks."

I spoke up, "I know you don't know what to say, and you don't have to say anything just yet. I'm not proud of the games I played, jumping from Morelli's bed to Ranger's, but that's in the past. I've known for about a week, and I don't know what I will do if Ranger is not the father. I just ask that you don't ask Ranger or me about it. Once we know something with certainty, no matter which way the cards him, we'll let you know." I get up and leave the room and walk to my office. Monica follows me.

"Carlos was about to follow, but I made him stay. Stephanie, you are brave, and I know you didn't want the guys to find out. But they did. Don't think that it changes the way they think of you. They know how Ranger kept pushing you to Morelli. They know that Ranger was opportunistic when it came to be with you. They didn't like that about him, and Tank, for one, has been telling him for years to 'man up' and tell you how he feels. The last time you and Morelli were 'out' they all tried to convince him to make a move. Apparently, you and Morelli made up before he could make that move, so he said he came up with another plan, and it would work." She continued, "Their biggest fear was that you would become pregnant with Morelli's baby and marry him for the sake of the child. They see that as a vague possibility now. You have no idea how happy they are that you and Ranger are engaged, and I know that they are all pulling for this child to be Rangers. They are more concerned with this child being Jose's."

"How do you know all this? You've been here less than two months."

"I asked Bobby. They have all embraced me here and treat me as an equal. They don't look at me as a woman, but I'm not one of the boys, either. They are respectful when I'm around and try to keep the guy, locker room talk to a minimum. They weren't like that in Boston. Bobby told me they were used to you being around. At first, they acted that way under Ranger's orders and fear of making him angry, but very quickly, they started to do it out of respect for you. You gave them all a chance and respected them all when most people, especially women, run away from them. You kiss them on the cheek and give them hugs. They find you to be fearless, careless, and stubborn, but you give them laughter and light. They all love you, Steph."

"Thank you for telling me this. I feel much better. Still embarrassed, but better."

"Let's go back inside."

We continue to monitor Joe for the next few days. Tuesday has arrived, and it's time for Monica's second date. I pick out a little black cocktail dress with red FMPs for her to wear. He's taking her to a restaurant in Hamilton that's a steakhouse. She is good at flirting with him and stroking his ego. "Did you go for that interview at RangeMan?" Joe asks.

"No, but there really is nothing else, so I think I'll check it out."

"I think you should, too. You may help Stephanie get out of there. She hasn't spoken to her parents since she moved in there. They are worried about her. She used to eat dinner with them three to four nights a week."

"Oh my, that's horrible. You really think it's a good idea?"

"Yes, I do."

"Okay, I'll call tomorrow to set up an appointment."

Dinner continues, but nothing else interesting is said. They go back to Joe's house, and this time, Monica sleeps with him. She uses her necklace to jam the visuals, but we can still hear what is happening. He takes her from behind. She tries to protest, but he doesn't let he. I feel the bile rising in my mouth. She goes along with him and after two rounds manages to leave. She kisses him good night and goes home. When she gets home, she signs out "I'm home. Got to take a shower and scrub. See you all tomorrow."

"Well, Steph, it wasn't all bad. He does have some skills." With that, she licked her lips. I know that she is referring to his tongue, which is great. "But what is his obsession with doing it from behind. Ugh."

I can't help but laugh. At least we share the same opinion of Joe Morelli. Carlos and Bobby do not like the direction of the conversation, so after an exaggerated eye roll for the both of us, we move on.

"I think he wants Monica to get a job here so he can get her key fob. He wants to get inside this building. He knows that she will have access to the garage, the public spaces, and five. He thinks he can sneak in here." I tell the room.

"I think you're right, Steph." Ranger adds. "We need to give you a dummy fob that will only give him access that we decided to give to him. We will have him on camera, so we can decide to let him through or stop him if he gets in. That will be our best bet."

"I guess I need to make another date with Officer Loser."

"I'm sorry, but yes. If you can try to hold Joe off until Monday, you may not have to go through with the date."

"Stephanie, Ranger, I took the liberty of getting a DNA sample from Morelli to use as a comparison. Just in case."

"Thank you, Monica, I didn't think of that." I tell her.

In two days I go to the doctor to confirm my pregnancy and find out how far along I am. In three to four days, I'll know who the father is.

It's Friday, the day I find out when this baby is due. Carlos and I go the doctor's office. The doctor has me get a sonogram, an internal. It's a little uncomfortable, but I see what looks like two circles in one giant circle. The technician tells me I'm having identical twins and I am about eight weeks along. I go into the doctor's office. He confirms what the technician told me. I can see that Carlos is even more excited. He goes over my diet with me, puts me on prenatal vitamins, folic acid, and iron, and starts to list all the things I cannot do until the babies are born. He finally gets to the moment where I can ask questions.

"Can I get a paternity test or do I need to wait. I was raped around the time of conception, and I need to know if Carlos is the father." I explain.

"Testing requires a blood sample from you, Stephanie, and a DNA sample from Carlos. I can be done any time from now."

"Okay. Are you sure they are identical? I mean, is it possible that they are fraternal?"

"They share a sac, which indicates that they are, indeed, identical and formed from one fertilized egg."

"Thank you, doctor."

We leave and go back to RangeMan. We go directly to seven. "Oh my God, twins. Please, let them be yours, Carlos."

"I'm going to call Monica up to do the test."

Monica arrives within five minutes. She gently pulls blood from me and marks the vial. Monica then takes a cheek swab from Carlos and marks it. She adds it to her bag with Morelli's hair. "I'm going to personally drop it off at a lab around here and wait for the results. I'll give them to you as soon as I have them." She gives us both a hug and leaves.

We barely slept last night. We were both consumed with thoughts about the babies. I want them to be Carlos's. I'm petrified that they aren't. I want to be excited, but I can't be. I know Carlos is battling the same thoughts I am. If they are Joe's, I can see him fighting me for custody, dragging me to court and taking them away. I don't even want to think about the other option. Times seems to move so slowly. Eight hours go by, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen. We know Monica won't keep us waiting. Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty. Finally, Tank calls up. "Monica is back, should I clear her straight up?"

"Yes," Carlos responds.

I'm so nervous. I'm sitting on the edge of the couch playing with my ring. My leg is shaking. She opens the door. Damn her; she has a blank expression on her face. I can't read her. Even her eyes are empty.

"I didn't see the results. My friend handed them to me in a sealed envelope. I'll let you open it in private. I'll be downstairs if you need me." She hands the envelope to Carlos. He looks at me and nods. He opens it, and I hold my breathe.


	12. Chapter 12--The Confession

Chapter 12—The Confession

 **Carlos's POV**

I have this envelope in my hands. The information inside will either make my dreams come true or break my heart and Stephanie's heart too. She is so fragile right now. I don't know if could handle it if these babies are not mine. At least they're identical. One less complication. I see her sitting on the couch, full of nerves and about to cry. She fears the worst. I don't blame her. My hands are shaking. I am trying to open it up. I get it open and take out the letter. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and begin to read. I get the results and look at mi amor. She is staring at me, waiting for my answer. I can't say it; I can't speak it. It's just too shocking. This feels like a dream. I'm afraid I'm going to wake up any moment from now. I open my mouth and tell her the results.

 **Stephanie's POV**

Carlo's has the envelope in his hands. I can't open, I can't read it. I'm too afraid that the results will say that the father is Joseph Morelli. Carlos is so nervous. Why isn't he opening it yet? Come on, just do it. Open the damn envelope already. I'm about to cry here. I need to know once and for all. Why are his hands shaking? He never shows his emotions. He finally got the damn envelope open. Read the letter to me, Carlos, read it to me. He got to the results, I know he did, but I can't read him. Is he happy or is he sad? Come on, Carlos, tell me already. He's getting ready to talk. "Babe, mi amor," he pauses. This can't be good news. He's trying to protect me. "Stephanie, the babies are ours. I'm their father!"

"What? What did you say? You're the father; they are our children?"

"Yes, mi amor, they are ours." He lifts me to my feet and gives me a big kiss while spinning me around. "I am so happy, Stephanie. I am so proud of you to be the mother of my children. Twins! Identical twins! I can't believe this, Babe. He puts me down and kneels in front of me. He places two kisses on my belly. He says, "One for each of my beautiful babies." He stands and kisses me, "and one for their beautiful mother."

"Oh Carlos, I'm so relieved. I can finally be happy about being pregnant. Twins! I'm still not sure I want one, but I guess I'm getting two." I lean against Carlos. "I think we need to go downstairs and tell everyone. They are probably all pacing the halls. The longer we stay up here, the more that they will either be convinced that we are up here celebrating or that you are here trying to console me."

"You're right, let's go downstairs and tell them. We can celebrate after dinner."

The elevator opens on five. All eyes are on us. Carlos and I are holding hands and trying to keep our blank faces. We walk into the conference room, and nearly everyone is there looking at us. I look at Carlos, and he looks at me. I nod my head, and he tells them, "Stephanie, and I will be welcoming our children in about 32 weeks."

Most of the men only caught 32 weeks. Monica caught the rest. "Wait a minute, you said children, as in plural…TWINS?

"Yes, identical twins," I add. "Their due date is June 17th, but I'll be lucky to get to that date. Twins usually come early." Suddenly, we were surrounded by all the Merry Men and Monica. Carlos called Ella and Luis in so he could share the news with them. When she hugged me, she asked if she could be called "Abuela Ella," I told her of course. "Stephanie, I have to modify your diet. You need to eat healthy for the babies. You have to cut back on your dessert, mi hija."

"I know. But don't keep it away from me for the next eight months!" She laughs.

Carlos and I spend a half hour with everyone before we can pull away and return to seven.

"Carlos, I have to tell my parents. I want to tell them, in person, that we are expecting twins. I don't want them to hear it through the grapevine. I want to see their reaction. If Valerie is there, I'm going to tell her that I know that Morelli is her baby's father and that she can spend the rest of her life connected to him. I want to tell Albert that he is a good man and deserves better than my sister. I need to confront them before I can move on. Do you mind?"

"No, Babe, anything for you."

We spend the rest of Saturday night celebrating the good news. The doctor told us that depending on how I'm progressing, making love may not be an option later in my pregnancy. I am high risk because I have twins. We sleep late on Sunday and have a morning workout. Since finding out that Carlos's is the father of the babies, I've been feeling so much better. I'm not as scared as I was before. It seems like things are finally starting to come together for the better for me.

As we finished breakfast, Carlos said: "Babe, we need to talk."

"Yes, Carlos, what do you want?"

"Now that we found out that you are pregnant with our twins, I don't think you should be going after skips anymore. There is too much of a chance for you to get hurt possibly hurt the babies. If you want to research them still and send out some of the guys for them, that's fine. I also don't mind if you ride along, but I don't want you chasing these idiots around."

I sigh. I knew this was coming. I was thinking the same thing, but I hate when Carlos orders me around. "I know. I was going to talk to you about this myself. I hate when you give me an order, you know that." I glare at him before continuing, "But you are right. I don't want to be near Connie or Lula now that I know that we are expecting. I don't trust them. I'm afraid that they will hurt me, and therefore, the babies. I don't want to sit around doing nothing, though. I can be in control, and I can do research, but I need to be in action, even if it's on the periphery. I can help you with your client, but I don't want to stay sitting behind a desk all day unless the doctor orders me to stay."

"I can respect that Babe. Whatever ever you want to do for RangeMan, you can do. I'll make sure you are put on the schedule. I'll talk to Tank."

"And I want to be paid like all your other employees; I don't want extras. I want to be treated as one of the team."

Carlos shakes his head. "You know, once you marry me you will be paying yourself?" He sees the look of horror on my face." You are so funny, Babe. We are engaged, Steph, as far as I'm concerned, everything I have is already yours. You don't need to worry about money anymore. But, if you want to draw a salary, I'll pay you, but only until we get married. And you will get more than everyone else because I need to keep you safe. You will always have the car of your choice as your vehicle, plus access to the fleet cars like everyone else. Is that a deal?"

I think what he is saying. It all makes sense, but I do need a while to get used to it. Besides, I do like the idea of having my own, excellent car. "Okay, I can accept that. It's just going to take some time getting used to not needing to worry about my finances anymore."

"Well, maybe this will help you. I got this for you the day after you accepted my proposal." Carlos got up and walks into the office. He returns and hands me an American Express Centurion Card, the Black Card, and it has my name on it.

"OMG, I can't believe I have a black card! Carlos, this is too much!"

"Remember, Babe, no price. Just don't max it out in one day." He laughs. I get up and hug him and kiss. "Thank you so much, Carlos. I don't know what to say. I'm not marrying you for your money, you know, and if you want a prenup, I'll sign one."

"Stephanie," Carlos sighed, "I don't plan on ever letting you go. You are mine, and I am yours. We don't need a prenup. And if I ever do something stupid enough to make you walk away from me, then I deserve to give half of everything I have to you." We walk to the couch. Carlos sits down and pulls me down on him. He rests his hands on my baby bump. "I am so happy and so contented now. I never thought that I would want more children, though I have to admit, that I've thought about it a lot since you and Morelli got back together. You were constantly talking about getting married and having a family; it made me think about what I wanted. I knew I wanted you; I wanted to your beautiful face to be the last I see each night and the first I see every morning. I wanted to smell your strawberry shampoo. I wanted you in my arms all night long." He paused while giving me a gentle kiss. "All those times you stayed here gave me such joy and happiness. I loved being able to keep you safe, but I was also so stupid. I kept thinking, that because of my past and what I did with the Army, that I didn't deserve happiness, and I didn't deserve you. I kept telling you to go back to Morelli. If I had realized how abusive he was to you, I never would have pushed you away. I should have asked you in Hawaii; I should have asked you after the Orin situation. When we were at the rehearsal for Amanda and Kinsley wedding, and you were walking down the aisle, I couldn't help but picture you walking with me at our wedding. Babe, can you ever forgive me for being so stupid?"

"Carlos, the fault isn't all yours. I was too scared to admit my feelings for you. You kept telling me that marriage wasn't an option, and I was afraid that if I ever admitted how I felt, you would leave my life forever." I lean into him more and smell his Bulgari Green. "I took one of your shirts so I could sleep with your Bulgari scent around me. I always knew when you were in the room. I could sense you before I ever saw you. Carlos, this feels right, laying in your arms, snuggled together. You are just as content holding me as you are making love to me. This is not something I'm used to. Both Dickie and Morelli were all about the sex, never the cuddles. I thought that was normal. I know now that it's not. Please don't ever let me go, and don't let me run. I know I'll try at some point, especially if I feel that I am putting you in danger. Just always be there to rescue me."

We stay in each other arms on the couch for a while, just content to be with each other. I never knew love could be like this. I don't know when I fell asleep, but I did at some point. I felt Carlos's kisses on my face and felt him. "Babe, if you want to make it to your parents, you need to start getting ready. It's five o'clock."

"Why did you let me sleep so long?"

"I was sleeping too, Babe. We better get moving."

I jump up and run to the bathroom. I start to strip once I hit the bedroom. I get in and start washing, but before I can even lather up, Carlos is behind me and helping. We emerge from the shower about a half hour later, definitely satisfied, but now I am in panic mode. I have 10 minutes to finish getting ready, and I am running out of clothes that fit. I put on mascara and lip gloss, put my hair in a ponytail, and go into the closet. Carlos is already dressed. He hands me a pretty, light blue dress that has a high waist, so it fits over my bump with long sleeves, so it's good for fall. I put on sensible heels and grab a sweater. We leave 7 and head down to the garage. Carlos helps me into his Turbo and buckles me in before kissing me. He goes to his side and drives to my parent's house.

We arrive at five after six, which is good so we can catch them all by surprise. We see Valerie's car there, and Morelli's. "Well, this should be interesting." Carlos states. I take his hand, and we walk up the walkway and the porch and open the door.

My mom hears the door open and runs into the hallway to welcome her unexpected guests. My mother sees me first, and says "Stephanie, are you here to accept Joseph's proposal finally? He's here so you can accept right now."

With that, Carlos's walked in. I walk past my mom and enter the dining room. Everyone looked up from their plate a stared at the two new arrivals. "What are you doing here?" My sister exclaims.

I stop and look at my family. Huh, my family. I mentally roll my eyes. "All of you, please be quiet and listen to me. First, I want to announce that Carlos and I are getting married. We love each other. Secondly, in June Carlos and I will be parents to identical twins. If you want to be part of the lives of your grandchildren and nieces or nephews, you will accept that Carlos is the man for me and will stop trying to push Joe and me together."

Joe was the first one to recover. "Wait a minute, cupcake, how far along are you?" I know where he is going.

"I am eight weeks pregnant."

"So, this kid may not even be his. Eight weeks ago, we were still dating, and you were raped. How do you know that those children are Manoso's and not mine?"

"We already had a paternity test done. We got the results yesterday. They are both mine children." Carlos took out the results and handed them to Joe. Joe's cousin was the technician who did the test.

"Joseph, it is true, are those brats his?" my mom asked.

"Brats! Are you calling your grandchildren and my children brats? I don't know why you hate me so much, mom. What did I ever do to you to be hated so much?"

"Please, Stephanie, you were always an embarrassment to our parents and me. Jumping off roofs, throwing batons into trombones, being a bounty hunter. You couldn't even keep your husband satisfied for more than a few months. I had to move to California to escape you." Valerie said.

"Ellen, Valerie, how can you talk to Stephanie like that? She's your blood, your family. I'm ashamed to be related to you both." Grandma Mazur was sticking up for me. "Valerie, you treat Mary Alice like she's not worthy of you. You are doing to her what your mother did to Stephanie because she has an imagination and doesn't want to conform to your stupid Burg standards. You don't deserve her."

I take a deep breath. I know that once I say what I must say, I will no longer have a mother, sister, father, or nieces. I will hopefully still have my grandmother. "Valerie, you should talk. Your husband of ten years ran off with your babysitter and took all your money. He abandoned you and his daughters. You came home, and you met a man who loves you unconditionally. Who has given you two more daughters? But are you satisfied, no. You send him to a conference that he doesn't want to go to and send him off with your children. And while Mary Alice and Angie are in school, you cheat on your husband with the man who you wanted to be your brother-in-law. As fate would have it, you get pregnant. So, mom, you wanted to be the grandmother of Joseph Morelli's child, and you will get your wish in three months when Valerie give birth. That baby she's carrying is Joseph's. Albert, you are a good man, and you don't deserve my sister or my family. You are too good for the Plums. If I were you, I'd cut my loses, push for full custody of your girls, and leave Valerie high and dry." I see hurt in his eyes and realized that his wife was unfaithful. "I know how you feel. You don't deserve to feel that way."

I look Carlos. He's been leaning against the wall, looking at my family and me. He was amused. I continue, "Joe, I don't know why I ever went out with you or why I ever loved you. You have been abusing me since I was six. First in your garage, and then on the floor of Tasty Pastry when I was sixteen. You stole my virginity and innocence from me, even though I said no and asked you to stop. Then, in the last few years, you would still force me to have sex with you, even when I didn't want to. If I said no or that I was tired, you would just continue to push me until I gave in, so that I could be left alone. But, I'm to blame, too, because I allowed it. It wasn't until I was raped by Jose Gonzalez and went to therapy that I realize that I have been abused my entire life. Mentally and emotional by my mother and sister, and mentally and physically by you, Morelli. I have also discovered what is it feels like to be loved unconditionally, to have someone who supports me and who will be me fly." I take Carlos's hand and pull him to me. He stands behind me and rests his hands on our babies. "Carlos has helped me to heal from the horror of being raped. He has been patient, gentle, and never pushed me to do something I didn't want to do. He loves me completely, and we will be starting our own family. If you want to be part of our family, you can find me at our home on the seventh floor of RangeMan. Just call the control room, and they will find me." I turn to walk away and pause, "Grandma Mazur, thank you for sticking up for me, but if you loved me, you would stop spreading rumors about me and using me to make your social life more exciting. When you stop doing that, then I will know that you truly love me. You may stay in my old apartment. I've paid the rent until the end of March. After that, you are on your own."

Carlos and I start to leave when my mother finally speaks. "How DARE you talk about your sister like that. Your sister is not the slut in this family. She is an honest woman. You better not spread ugly rumors about her."

"Mrs. Plum, you should ask your daughter about the results of her paternity test," Carlos said.

"Paternity test, what paternity test."

"Ellen, the baby she's carrying is not my child. I don't know who's it is, but it is not mine." Albert said with disgust and anger.

"Valerie, dear, what is he talking about?"

"Mom, Stephanie is right. This child is not Albert's child. The father of this child is Joe Morelli. He came to my house one day when Albert was away, and the kids were in school. He said he wanted my help to get Steph to marry him, quit her job, and become a housewife. I told him that I could help him get her to marry him, but the other two would be more difficult. He spoke to me about her relationship with Ranger, and how Ranger was manipulating Stephanie, planting ideas in her head that weren't true. He said he loved her and would do anything to win her away from Ranger. We had some beer while we were talking, and I'm not sure how it happened, but soon we were in my bedroom and making love. I enjoyed it. I always wanted Joe to go for me, but he only ever had eyes for Stephanie. The only guy I couldn't get. Then, he came back each day until Albert came home. The day after Albert returned, he had a vasectomy, and we weren't together for at least two months. We didn't want any more children. Stephanie, I am so sorry I betrayed you. Please forgive me."

Joe slowly got up and was trying to leave. Carlos saw and pushed him back in his seat. "Morelli, you have single-handedly destroyed a family. You don't have a right to leave on your own."

My mom, being who she is, never ceases to amaze me. "Valerie, dear, it's okay. Albert is standing beside you, and everything will be okay. Everyone will accept that the baby is his and you will be fine. It's Stephanie's fault you are in this position. If she had just agreed to marry Joe years ago, none of this would have ever happened."

That woman still blames me. What about the bitch. Albert spoke up next. ", Ellen, I filed for divorce this morning, and I have also filed for full custody of my two children. Valerie is an unfit mother. She spends half her day, like you, drinking. She hates being married to me because I'm not established enough, and I don't make enough money. She doesn't want her life with me; she wants her old life back in California. I am also trying to get custody of Angie and Mary Alice. I have contacted her ex-husband, who had a different story on what happened. She had several affairs, and after she had gotten pregnant by the pool boy and had an abortion, he husband started to realize what she is. She didn't want to marry me because I wasn't wealthy enough but settled because she didn't want to be center of the Burg's rumors. She wanted Stephanie to set her up with Ranger, so she could live high on the hog and continue to have all the affairs she wanted. That is the daughter you raised and love above Stephanie."

Albert took Lisa and the baby, gathered all their stuff, and walked out of the house. We are all dumbstruck. Carlos said to Valerie, "Valerie, if, for some crazy moment you were my woman, I just want you to know that I don't share. One tiny hint of infidelity and you would've been out on the curb. Stephanie knows that, which is part of the problem we had."

"You don't share, Manoso, but you do poach."

"Morelli, if you had been half that man that Stephanie needed you to be she would never have come to my bed. You, with your macho, Italian ways, pushed Stephanie to me. I never forced myself on her, and never will. She came to be willing. If I had been honest with her about my feelings sooner, we would be married already. I kept pushing her to you because I didn't believe that I could make her happy. But after Vlasov and Orin, I knew, deep down, that I could give her what she always wanted. Once I told her, it was an easy decision for her." He looks at me and smiles. "Now that she wears my ring on her finger, Morelli, she will never be yours again."

"Joe, you better propose to Valerie, because once the Burg finds out the results of her paternity test, you won't have much of a choice if you plan on living here for the rest of your life," I say with a smirk. "Carlos, let's go home. I want to see my real mother, Ella, now."

Carlos and I leave my parent's house for the last time.

 **Joe's POV**

This is great, just great. Manoso is leaving with Stephanie, and she is wearing his ring. How did I let this happen? How did everything get so screwed up? It all goes back to Connie. I'll get her back. But first, I need to save face here. "Valerie, why didn't you come to me when you suspected that the baby was mine? I would've helped you. I'll still help you. You should have asked. You told me Albert had walked out on you and you were scared to be alone. That's why you called me to your home; it had nothing to do with Stephanie. You lied to me, Val."

"Joseph, you are such a darling. Trying to console my daughter. You're a good man."

"Ellen, are you crazy? Can't you see he's manipulating you? He knew what he was doing, alright, only Valerie is too blind to see it. She is saint Valerie, after all." Grandma said. "I can't believe you are my daughter. Stephanie is right. We have mistreated her since she was a child. I saw the signs, and I ignored them. I'm disgusted with myself. But it all ends today for me. Ellen, either you kick this no-good horse's patoot out with the garbage where he belongs, or you are no longer my daughter. Frank, you allowed your daughter to be mistreated and turned a blind eye, you are no better than Ellen. And Valerie, you are such a hypocritical patoot. You chastise Stephanie for going back and forth between two men when she is neither engaged nor married to either, but you are humping anything that has two legs and then plays the victim. You've been enabled your whole life, and I will have nothing to do with you anymore. Just please stop trying to stifle Mary Alice's creative side. She is a lot like her Aunt Stephanie, which is a good thing." Grandma Mazur gets up and leaves.

It's just me, Valerie, and Mrs. and Mrs. Plum. "Valerie, why don't you come home with me. We'll figure out a plan to make everything alright." She walks over to me and slaps me across the face. "Joe, you are scum. I hate you, and I never want to see you again, but rest assured, you will be supporting this child for the rest of your natural life and beyond. Get out of this house and don't you dare step foot in here again."

"Valerie, think! What will happen to your reputation? I will tarnish your daughters. You must think about your children and me."

"Mom, do you think my reputation wouldn't be ruined more when everyone finds out I betrayed my sister? Is that all you care about, what other people think? Don't you care about my happiness?" Valerie got up and called for Angie and Mary Alice and made her exit.

"Joseph, you assured me that you and Stephanie would be married. Why is she with that thug and pregnant with his child. I thought you told me that she would be done with him. What went wrong?"

"Connie forgot to tell Jose Gonzalez to get rid of her weapons. She wasn't supposed to shoot him. He didn't get a chance to tell her that Ranger set her up. She was supposed to come out of that house blaming Ranger and wanting his head on a platter. Instead, she kills the bastard, and he's her hero again." I shook my head. "I've been trying to get some cameras in his apartment, but I can't get access to his floor. I have someone on tap, though, which may be able to help. If I could just get one video, I can plant enough doubt her mind to force her to leave Manoso and come back to me. Just give me another few days, please, Mrs. Plum."


	13. Chapter 13--The Set-Up

Chapter 13—The Set Up

I was hungry. We didn't eat at my parents. My stomach rumbled. Carlos laughed, "How does Pino's sound to you and our babies?"

"Pino's sounds wonderful. I didn't realize how hungry I was. Are you sure you want to face the Burg?"

"Babe, I'm not ashamed of you. I'm proud to call you my fiancé; I'm proud of you to be carrying my children. I don't care what the dumb women of the Burg think. They can call our children bastards, but they aren't. You will be my wife, and that's all I care about."

He pulls the Porsche into Pino's lot, and we get out. We walk in and go the to the table at the back in the corner. Of course, his back is always to the wall. Eddie Gazarra walks in and sees us. He comes over to us. "Hey Cuz, congratulations. Twins, huh. Good luck." He gives me a big hug. He shakes Carlos's hand. "I always knew that you were the one for her. I'm glad she finally realized it as well. She's too good for Morelli."

"How is the good cop doing?" Carlos asks.

"Not great, he can barely look at those of us who saw the video feed. It was one of those things where you don't want to look, but you have to. He lost control. He barely talks to me, even when it is for the job. He's been spending a lot of time at the bond office, though, and only when Vinnie and Lula are not there. I'm not sure what's going on, but there is something fishy going on between him and Connie. Terry has been freezing him out, so I don't know if he crossed some line between the Grizzoli family and Connie's."

"That's interesting" I add, "What else have you heard?"

The waitress came over, and I order a pizza with extra cheese and pepperoni for me, and Carlos ordered Caesar salad and grilled chicken on a roll with lettuce and tomato. We both ordered water.

Once the waitress left, Eddie continues, "Williams has been avoiding Morelli. I think he's onto something. He's been working a lot on his own and from home."

Pino's was starting to fill in with more cops, so Eddie cut the conversation short and went back to the bar. Other cops kept coming over to congratulate us. It seemed, at least that the boys in blue, accept us. As I was in the process of eating my last slice of pizza, Joe walked in. Carlos said, "Morelli's here."

"Great, talk about ruining a great night. He's going to try and bug us."

"Let him try. He won't be successful." Carlos said confidently. "He can't bug the Turbo. If he touches it, the alarm goes off."

Joe stomps over to us. "I'm shocked to see you slumming here. What's a matter, finally run out of money from all those cars you've had to get Little Miss Disaster here?"

"No, not at all. My babies and their mama were craving pizza. Who I am to deny them?"

"I guess I should congratulate you on knocking her up. That was the only way that you were going to get her to marry you. When she loses the brats while chasing her skips, then she'll leave you and come back to me where she belongs."

I was red. He wished that something would happen to my babies. How can he be so cruel to innocent babies?

Carlos is also seething, but he is more controlled. "Morelli, you better bite your tongue. I guarantee that if anything happens to Stephanie or our children and you have anything to do with it, I will come after you and I will kill you."

"Are you threatening an officer, Manoso? Do you want to spend the birth of your brats behind bars? Do you want to leave Stephanie unprotected?"

"It's not a threat, it's a warning and a promise." Carlos throws $50 down on the table and takes my hand. "Let's go, mi amor."

"Carlos, can we stop for ice cream?"

"Babe."

We walk out and ignore Morelli.

We get in the Porsche and drive to Carvel. I get a large soft serve ice cream cone. While I'm eating my ice cream, Carlos checks us and the car for bugs. "We're clean." He texts Tank. "You know, Babe, you have to cut back on the dessert. It's not good for the babies."

"Carlos, don't you remember what happened when I went off sugar? If I don't have sugar, I need sex, lots and lots of sex."

Carlos walks to me and puts his arms around my waist, "I think I can accommodate you and your need for me to satisfy you." He kisses me with a lot of tongues. "I will make it worth your while."

"I guess I can try. I may still need dessert, though." I say teasingly.

"Oh really? Are you challenging me?"

"Maybe I am." I know I'm playing with fire, but it's fun.

"Mi amor, Babe, what makes you think I can't keep up?"

"Joe couldn't." I knew that response would do it. He would take on the challenge, and I'd be a thrilled, very sore, satisfied woman. "He had to sleep in the guest room, and he locked me out on the night." I thought back, "I think he even said you could take up some of the slack."

"And did you let me?"

"I don't think so."

We got back in the car and drove to RangeMan. We got into the garage to find Hector waiting for us. He checked us both again for bugs, and when he gave us the all clear, we went up to control. "I thought we were going up to seven."

"No, Tank has some information for us."

We enter the conference room and Tank nods at Carlos. "Ranger, as you know, Monica bugged Morelli. He left Steph's parent's house about fifteen minutes after you. It was a pretty interesting conversation that he had with Steph's mom. Here, listen to the conversation yourself. Steph, you may want to sit down." Tank presses play on the recording.

I heard my mom first. "Joseph, you assured me that you and Stephanie would be married. Why is she with that thug and pregnant with his child. I thought you told me that she would be done with him. What went wrong?"

Then Joe's response. "Connie forgot to tell Jose Gonzalez to get rid of her weapons. She wasn't supposed to shoot him. He didn't get a chance to tell her that Ranger set her up. She was supposed to come out of that house blaming Ranger and wanting his head on a platter. Instead, she kills the bastard, and he's her hero again. I've been trying to get some cameras in his apartment, but I can't get access to his floor. I have someone on tap, though, which may be able to help. If I could just get one video, I can plant enough doubt her mind to force her to leave Manoso and come back to me. Just give me another few days, please, Mrs. Plum."

OMG! I didn't just hear what I thought I heard. My mother and Joe conspired against me to get me to marry Joe. My mom was aware that I would be raped and who knows what else and let him set me up. I can't believe it. I don't understand why my mother hated me so much. What did I ever do to her? I heard the guys and Monica talking, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I was suddenly nauseous, and I had to get out of the room. I needed to be alone. I got up and ran out the conference room. I went to the stair and ran up to seven. I open the apartment door and run to the bathroom. I barely make it in time. Carlos was behind me, holding my hair as usual and rubbing my back like he always does. I get up and strip, I turn on the shower and get in after I brush my teeth. I let the water wash over me and finally give in to the tears and sobs that I have been holding back. Carlos shut off the water and held a big towel out to me. "Babe, it's okay. Let it out and don't worry. You have every right to be disgusted and hurt."

"Why? Why does my mother hate me?"

"Mi amor, I can't answer that question. But I do know that you are surrounded here by people who love you the way you should have always been loved. You have Monica who loves you like a sister, and you have Ella, who loves you like her daughter. All my men love you as their sister or, as their mom-figure. You don't realize how many people care for you and would protect you from ever being hurt."

"But I don't know what would cause my mother to hurt the child that grew inside her. I knew, that even if Jose was the father of these babies, I could never give them up or end this pregnancy. I already love them, and they aren't even born yet. I would give my life to protect them, and they aren't even born yet. What is it about me that makes her hate me so."

"You may never find out. You just have to move on. Do you want a session with Dr. Hendrickson tomorrow? I can set it up a Skype appointment for you."

"I think that will be helpful. Thanks. Do we have to go back downstairs?"

"You don't. You can just stay up here and relax. This has been a very long and emotional day for you, and you need your rest, especially if you are going off sugar tomorrow." Carlos added with a smirk.

"But you're going back down?"

"Yes, Babe. But you don't have to come. If you want, I'm sure Ella won't mind sitting with you."

"No, I need you, only you, always you." I get up to go to the closet. "Let me just get dressed and I'll go with you." I put on one of his t-shirts and yoga pants.

"I think Ella is going to have to buy me more t-shirts."

I laugh. "Most of mine are getting too tight and too short. My pants are already too tight. I need to wear your big t-shirts to help hide the fact that I'm not buttoning my jean or pulling my pants all the way up. I think I need to start getting some maternity clothes."

"You can wear mine; I like my clothes on you. It's very sexy." He grabs me and kisses. "Let's go back down and figure out how we're going to trap Morelli."

We go back down into the conference room. Everyone pauses and looks at me. When they determine that I'm okay, they resume their discussion.

"Okay, so we figure Morelli is going to try and take my key fob to get him in here. I'm going to feed to him that I have access to seven, along with the rest of the facility. We are going to tell him that you, Ranger, gave me access under the pretense of helping Stephanie if she needs it, but I have access for booty calls. He thinks you're a pig, so he'll believe it. I don't think he'll trust me to plant any bugs, especially because he keeps failing."

"Don't you think there's a possibility that he will hurt you? I don't think you should go on this date with him." Bobby said.

"Bobby, Monica is trained, she has skills, and we are monitoring her. There will be two teams outside the house. You know this is a necessary risk. I understand how you feel, but you have to let it go." I say to him as I go over to my partner. I hug him.

"I don't think he'll hurt her. He'll need her to stay enamored with him to make sure that if it doesn't work, then he will have a backup plan." Carlos adds.

"So, the date is Tuesday. What are you doing?" I ask her.

"I'm inviting him over. I have most of my furniture in, so it'll work. I'll cook him dinner and make a cake."

"You can cook dinner and make a cake? Damn, girl, when the night is over he'll be ready to propose to you. My idea of dinner was take in." I laughed.

"Yes, I cook, but I only make three dishes and one cake. I make pasta, roasted chicken, and soup. I make only a box chocolate cake. Usually, I'm a PB&J type of girl."

"I knew there was something I loved about you. Have you ever tried PB with olives and potato chips?"

"No, it sounds interesting, I'll have to give it a try."

"It's also really good with Nutella and bananas."

"Now that is one of my breakfast staples."

"I'm getting hungry. I think a need a sandwich when I get upstairs."

"Can we please focus." Carlos says, with a grin. "Stop talking food to Steph. She's a bottomless pit under normal circumstances, now that she's eating for three." I give him my best Burg glare.

"I'm giving up sugar, remember. I'll need to substitute other items."

"The substitution will be burning calories, no consuming calories."

I shut up. Ranger is always better and getting me off guard. Monica responds under her breathe "damn if it's what I think it is." I look at her and smile. "Lucky bitch" she murmurs.

"Monica, make pasta with sauce. It's comfort food to him. The chocolate cake will be the perfect touch. Make sure to have beer. He drinks beer with everything."

"Okay, Italian it is then. What about a salad or veggies?"

"Veggies? What are veggies? They are not in any proper diet." I say while laughing.

"Boss here tends to differ. Please tell us he makes you eat vegetables too." Cal begs.

"Yes, Ranger makes vegetables part of my diet too, and I hate it." I pause and think, "But what about Connie. What is her motivation? My mother wants me married to Morelli; Joe wants me to be his wife, barefoot and pregnant and keeping house and cooking. But what does Connie get from this? And Lula must know something. Tank, can you reach out to her and try to find out what she knows?"

He sighs and looks like he just ate brussels sprouts. "Only for you, Steph. I'll give her a call tomorrow."

"It's not too late tonight for her." I add.

"Stephanie, you are going to owe me big time." Tank says before taking out his phone and making the call. "Hey Lula, what's shaken?" "Yeah, I'm free tonight. Boss gave me the night off." "I can be there in thirty. See you soon." Tank hang's up and looks at Ranger, "I need hazard pay." He stalks off.

Lester speak up. "You know, maybe Connie wants Ranger. She thinks that if you are out of the picture, she can swoop in."

"But she's screwing Morelli. Why would she need me?"

"She's only screwing Morelli to get him to work with her. What if her motivation this whole time was to get with you, Ranger?"

"What favor did you owe her when she first called you to work with me?" I ask him.

"There was a skip that was a pain in the ass for me to get. I finally caught him, and I asked Connie to make sure Vinnie didn't re-bond him. She said that he was her cousin and there would be hell to pay for not getting him bonded out a second time. I told her I'd owe her a favor if she worked with me."

"When I first started working for Vinnie, you didn't go to the office much. And if you did, you were in and out in a minute or two. I know that as we became friends and then some, you would come around more and stay a little longer, especially if I was there. Why didn't you stick around before?" I asked.

"I don't know. I always felt, and still do, a little uncomfortable around Connie. I don't know why, but I just do. It's almost as if she sees me naked every time I'm in her presence." With that, both Monica and I laughed.

"Ranger, _all_ women look at you like that _all_ the time. Just some of us are better at hiding it." Monica says.

"And to think I was beginning to like you," I add with a grin. "Ranger, she's right. Most women are mentally undressing you when they see you. I want to punch half of them out."

"I'd love to see it, Steph. Bobby, I think you need to give up your partner so the rest of us can see her in action." Lester said.

"No, Steph, it's not like that. It's like she already knows what's under the clothes."

We all stare at each other. It seems that Cal, Hal, Lester and I come to the same conclusion at the same time. I ask first. "Is it possible that you picked her up one night? That she was a one-night stand?"

Carlos sighed. He thought for a moment, then answered. "Babe, anything is possible. I don't even know how many women I've been with." He looked at me as if to apologize. "If so, I don't remember anything about it."

"That's the only thing that makes sense. She had one night with you and somehow after you started working for Vinnie, built up this fantasy in her head. And we you and I started our flirting, it probably drove her nuts."

"Did she ever ask how he was?" Monica asked me. I nodded yes. "What was your response?"

"Magic." I said in barely a whisper. I felt my cheeks get flushed. Monica looked at me, and I could see what she was thinking.

"Well, I think I better get home. I don't want Morelli to get too interested in my life. I told him I was going out with a girlfriend for dinner tonight. Don't want to get home to late." Monica said before getting up. She came to me and gave me and hug. She whispered in my ear "Is he better than Morelli?" I whispered back "I am ruined for all other men." "Damn." Monica released me and left.

Carlos looked at me but didn't say anything. "I think we can call it a night. Reconvene tomorrow at 10. Good night, guys, get some rest."

He took my hand and we went up to seven. When we entered the apartment he finally asks, "What was that between you and Monica?"

"She asked if you were as good as Morelli. I told her that you have ruined me for all other men. I think she's not going to sleep too good tonight."

"You really told Connie and Lula I was magic?"

"Yes."

"Babe, I've been around your family several times over the years, and now, with everything that has happened, I've noticed a few things. First, your father basically ignores you. He was always looking at Valerie and cared to know if Albert was a good man. Second, you don't look like the rest of your family. You share some features with your mom and grandma, but I see none of your father. And lastly, did your mom ever tell your dad about what Joe did to you when you were six or sixteen? Because when you were mentioning it tonight, it seems like he never knew, but he didn't care that his daughter was molested and raped by the man who got his other, married daughter pregnant. He seemed like he was more focused on the conversation when it was around Morelli being with Valerie."

"Carlos, what are you saying, what are you thinking?"

"I don't think that Frank is your biological father." He paused to gauge my reaction before continuing, "I can look into your mother's history. You know my programs are invasive. But I think your conception is a big, ugly secret that your mother and father try to pretend isn't there."

"You think my mother had an affair?"

"No, I think your mother was raped, and you were conceived as a result of that rape." I just stare at Carlos, with my mouth open. "Steph, mi amor, it's the only thing that makes sense to me. I still don't understand how someone will set up their child to be raped unless, in their mind, it was a punishment for being born. A constant reminder of a horrible night."

"Carlos, I want you to research both my parents. I want to know everything there is to know."

"I'll get Monica started on it right away. Call it woman's intuition, but she can find things that only you do."

"I'm exhausted, let's go to sleep." We walk into the bedroom. I go to the bathroom to get ready. When I come out, Carlos is sitting on the bed, in his black silk boxers, waiting for me. I took off everything except my panties and his t-shirt in the bathroom. He pulls me onto his lap and starts to kiss me. The kiss starts of slow and gentle and becomes deeper and more passionate. He breaks away and says "Babe, I need to clear your mind of what we were just discussing or you are going to have a bad nightmare. Let me give you a happy thought." He pulls off my shirt and rubs and kisses my breasts. He puts me on the bed and gets on top of me. He kisses my belly. "Ours." He continues down and _Omigod_.

I awoke from a dreamless sleep in Carlos's arms. I could tell he was awake already. "How long have you been up?"

"About ten minutes. I like watching you sleep." Somehow, Carlos's t-shirt was back on me, but nothing else. I turn to him. "I have to quit Vinnie. I don't want to put our babies' lives in danger. I get into too many crazy scenarios, fall off fire escapes, blowing up drug labs, getting attacked my mad dogs. This list goes on and on."

"Offer him Cal and Hal until he finds a replacement for you. That should make him happy. And that way, when you go in today, you'll be fully protected. You'll have Bobby inside with you, and Cal and Hal outside to watch the car."

"Are you going to give them hazard pay?"

"Smart ass." He pulls me to him and kisses me. I guess we need a wake-up call.


	14. Chapter 14--The Bond Office

Chapter 14—Bond Office

I spent two hours on Skype with Dr. Hendrickson before I went down to the conference room at 10. He made me feel better about myself and gave me the perspective I needed. He told me that instead of mourning what I never had, embrace what I have now. He said it was healthy to want an answer and to seek closure, but that the answers may not give the relief I need. I know that, but I still need it. He said, as always, that he is just a phone call away.

I walk in the conference room, and I don't see Carlos or Tank. I leave and go to Carlos's office. He's there with Tank. I knock, and Carlos motions me in. "Tank was just about to tell me what Lula had to say."

Uh oh. "Connie is obsessed with Ranger. She told Lula that they had been together one night years ago, before her marriage, and that he was the man of her dreams. She claims that they connected and that Ranger promised her he'd be back for her the next time he was back in Georgia. He left before the morning, but somehow, Connie felt that there was a much deeper connection. When Ranger started working for Vinnie, she didn't recognize him immediately. He had long hair and more bulk and lost some of his boyish features. When she did realize it, she took it as a sign that they were meant to be together. When she set up the meeting between you and Ranger, she never thought that he would see you outside of that one, initial meeting. The fact that you kept on call in him and he would answer started to aggravate her. The icing on the cake was when Ranger went FTA. He didn't answer any of her calls or texts, but he reached out to you and stayed with you, even though you were dating Joe. She was pissed that you refused to go after him. She determined then that you both meant more to each other than you were letting on and she started to try to think of ways to get you apart."

"But, that doesn't make sense. It always seemed like Connie was pushing me to Ranger, not away."

"She did that while feeding Joe information on what you and Ranger were up to in the alley and elsewhere. She figured it would push Joe to give you a ring sooner rather than later. It obviously didn't work. Then, she hoped that because you kept on needing Ranger's help with simple skips that he would get bored with you and dump you, but those skips only seemed to endear him to you more. She hated how he would come into the office and only had eyes for you. How he would always touch you in some way before getting you outside and kissing you in that alley. She's the one who kept putting the eyes in the alley."

"All because of one night when I was in Ranger school. I probably hooked up with her on a bet. What was she doing in Georgia?"

"Visiting a friend from college."

"How does Joe fit into all this?"

"Apparently, he had a problem when he was in the Navy and was almost court marshaled. He asked Terry's uncle for help, but Terry had just married and was unhappy, so he wasn't willing to help Joe. He went to Connie's father. He owed Connie's father, and this is his pay up."

"And Lula went along with it?" I was disgusted.

"She didn't find out until about two weeks ago. She walked in on Connie and Officer Hottie getting it on. They threatened her if she didn't keep her mouth shut. She complied."

"Do you believe her?" Ranger asked.

"No." Tank replied. "I think she knew well before. She's not one to get to AC with Connie. With Steph or Grandma Mazur, yes. Connie, no way."

"Ranger, you're sure Vinnie isn't directly involved?" I ask.

"Yes, I'm sure. I spoke to Vinnie with his father-in-law. Harry would have told me if he was lying. Harry likes you. You keep the business afloat. He would never allow Vinnie to get away with doing something against the person who's bringing in the money. But they suspect that Connie is skimming, and it's only a matter of time before he confronts her."

"I know for a fact Connie does skim. She takes money from petty cash whenever Vinnie annoys her. I guess her connections make it more difficult to deal with her." I add.

"Yes, though most of the other mob bosses are semi-retired, they still protect their own. Harry will have to get the support of at least Grizzoli before going after Connie. He hopes, that if we can implicate her with you, Steph, then he'll be able to skip making that alliance." Tank finishes.

"Tank, why don't you head into the conference room? Stephanie and I will be along momentarily." Tank go up and left. "How are feeling, Babe?" Carlos asks as he walks over to me. He sits across from me and takes my hands.

"Better. Talking to the doctor helped me a lot. I just need the answers, but I know that those answers may not solve everything, but they will help the process." I sigh. "Thanks for last night. Even though I was exhausted, I'm glad you didn't let me go to sleep right away. I'm sure making love with you helped to keep away the nightmares."

"How's it going without sugar?"

"Too soon to tell." I smile and lean into Carlos to kiss him. "I am so mad at you, Carlos."

"Why? What did I do?"

"You made me believe that what we have now wasn't possible with you. Every time I thought about being Morelli's wife, you would pop in my head. I wanted you for such a long time but had to push those feelings aside because you kept telling me you couldn't be a husband. As far as the family, I wasn't concerned. A baby wasn't important to me at the time, but you were. Whenever I stayed here, everything was always so natural. We got along so well, and the sexual tension was palpable. I sometimes wish we would have been further along when Morelli walked into my apartment that morning when you were staying there during the Scrog incident. I wish that he had caught us together. It would have ended things for us, and then I could have concentrated on you, Carlos." I paused, "I kept on keeping you away, even though I so wanted you because I was already getting ruined. Half the time since Hawaii, when I've been with Morelli, I was thinking about you and imagining you in bed with me instead of Joe. I almost called out your name once or twice. Things could have been so much different if you weren't such a coward." Finally, the tears started to fall.

"Babe," Carlos said while wiping away the tears with his thumbs. "I wish I would have had the courage to admit my feelings for you to myself. I also wish I didn't stop that morning, that I would have just continued and ignored the lock opening. I hated having to work with Morelli to keep you safe, to have to negotiate and fight to have stay here for your protection. All those nights, with you in my bed, you have no idea how hard it was for me not to push you into being with me. To have to be content to have you sleep next to me but not sleep with me. God, Steph, I'm sorry I was selfish. Can you forgive me?"

"I already have. My life is falling apart in so many ways, but being here with you, wearing your ring and knowing that you will be husband is helping me to get through this horror." I move to his lap. "I never needed anyone before like I need you." I rest my chin on his head, and we just sit there for about five minutes.

"Babe, do you want to go upstairs?"

"No, I think we should go to the conference room. We'll have time for that later."

We exit his office hand in hand and enter the conference room. Monica is sitting behind a computer, doing research. Tank and Lester are monitoring Morelli's various trackers and bugs. Hal and Cal are looking for information on Connie and Hector are trying to figure out how to let Morelli into the facilities with his key fob, but deactivate it once he gets in without disabling everyone else's. Carlos's askes the room "Any updates we need to know about?"

Monica talks first, "There's a lot of the common medical information of your mother's pregnancy with Valerie, talk approximate time of conception, discussion of what to expect. Around the time when your mom would have been pregnant with you, there is no medical history at her gynecologist. She goes fifteen months between appointments. I'm trying to figure out which Gyn she went to for you. Do you know?"

"She always told me that Dr. Gallagher was the doctor who delivered me. He retired when I was still a kid."

"Well, that was her doctor of record, but there is no record of your birth here in Trenton. Your birth certificate isn't an original. It was reissued when you were about two months old."

"So, we don't know where I was born yet?"

"No, Stephanie, I'm sorry. I'm looking, but so far I'm coming up empty."

"I think I need to talk to my grandmother. Maybe she can shed some light on this mystery." I pause, I also need to tell Vinnie I'm done chasing skips, at least for the next year. I can't risk hurting these babies."

Carlos picked up the conversation from there. "Cal and Hal, I'm assigning you to work for Vinnie and pick up any skips he gets until he hires someone to replace Stephanie. She will do any research for you on the skips, and you will pick them up. You will each take 40% of the bond and Steph will take 20%. Go with Stephanie and Bobby to the office to tell Vinnie. You are to wait outside and make sure no one messes with Stephanie's car. Bobby, you'll guard Steph and will not leave her side." He paused before continuing, "If by any chance Morelli shows up while Steph is there, one of you join Steph and Bobby inside. The other better let me know immediately. When do you want to go?"

"First, let's confirm that Vinnie is in the office. If he is there, I'll go now. Then, I want to talk to my grandmother. Bobby, you can wait outside of the apartment door. I need to talk to her alone. Cal and Hal, I think you should follow. Hal, if you can watch my car and Cal, if you can watch the first floor of the building, that would be helpful."

"Miguel and Lester will join up with you at your apartment. I'll go inside with you when you talk to your grandmother. Non-negotiable." He adds as I open my mouth to protest.

"Fine." Carlos pulls out his phone and texts someone. Two minutes later he gets a text back. "Vinnie is in the office. You're good to go, Babe."

My men in black and I get up and walk to the door. Carlos grabs my wrist and kisses me before letting me leave. "Be safe, mi amor." He whispers in my ear before releasing me.

When we get into the elevator, Bobby says "You two need to cool it off on the floor a little. It's getting hard to be around you guys. If could give teenagers a run for their money."

I laugh. "I know. Ranger's been a little over the top. But I don't mind."

"Of course, you don't, you're the recipient. The rest of us have to watch it." Cal says.

"Okay, I'll talk to him about toning it down, but I can't promise it will work."

We exit the elevator and head to the cars. Bobby and I get in my Mercedes and Cal, and Hal goes to one of the fleet vehicles. I turn to Bobby, "You can drive. I need to gather my thoughts."

"No problem, partner." He says with a smile. I can't blame him; the Mercedes is an excellent car to drive.

We arrive at the bond office twenty minutes later. I stopped at Tasty Pastry for some donuts for the office. "I thought you were off sugar, Steph," Bobby says.

"What, did Ranger send out a memo to everyone telling them not to let me have donuts?"

"And cake, and candy, and chocolate, and anything that you can't get in RangeMan," Bobby said laughing.

"I'm going to kill him. No, I'm going to tease him until he's begging for more and THEN, I'll kill him."

"Steph, TMI," Bobby said shaking his head.

"Sorry." I felt my face turn red. "Didn't realize I was talking out loud."

"It's okay. Though I would love to see, Ranger begs anyone for anything. I mean, the fact that he says 'please' to you is amazing. You have always been the only one who could get away with not following a direct order from him. You had him wrapped around your finger from the start, though he never admitted it. It was fun to watch him give you time and time again. And we know you were not, um, intimate with each other many times." Bobby paused before continuing. "Stephanie, you know I love you like a sister, and I have the utmost respect for you, but I need to ask you a very personal question, and if you don't want to answer or you decide you want to slap me across the face, it's okay."

"You can ask."

"Did you and Ranger have a quickie in is Turbo? We saw it stopped in an alley for about ten minutes one time and we know you were with Ranger in the car and there was no reason for you to be there."

I started to laugh. "Ranger's cars are tracked all the time, too?"

"Most of the time. Ranger can shut off his tracker when he wants, but usually, he'll tell us he's going offline and a time frame. Most of those time offline, when he's here in Trenton, was when he went to you. He wasn't a slick and sneaky as he thought because he always went back online in your parking lot."

"I plead the fifth," I answer Bobby. He laughs. "That's as good as an admission in my book. I didn't think it was possible in that car."

"It's not easy." We arrived at the bond office. Bobby and I enter together.

"Well, if it isn't the dynamic team," Connie says sarcastically.

I ignore her and ask, "Is Vinnie here?"

"Vinnie, Stephanie's here, and she wants to see you."

"What are you doing just standing there. The skips don't bring themselves in. Why aren't you out there getting them?" Vinny exclaims as he comes into the outer office.

"Vinnie, I'm taking a leave of absence. I can't keep on chasing skips now that I'm pregnant. I need to be inside at a desk, not chasing skips all over Trenton."

"Then who's going to bring in the skips? Harry is going to kill me if I don't make any money!" He paused and looked at me. "You're knocked up? By who, Morelli?"

I roll my eyes. "No, Vinnie, Ranger is the father, and we are engaged. Where have you been?"

"In Florida with Lucille. I just got back this morning."

"Well, what am I going to do. I can't rely on Joyce. She only ever brought in two people."

Bobby spoke this time. "Ranger has agreed to allow Cal and Hal to pick up Stephanie's skips until you hire someone new."

"Well, I guess that will work." He looks at me, "You don't expect me to pay you, do you?"

"Vinnie, Cal, Hal, and I will split the capture fee amongst each other. I'll do the desk work, and they'll do the physical work. Connie, who do we have now."

Connie hands me a few files. No repeat offenders in this bunch. I get ready to leave when Morelli walks in. I roll my eyes when I see him and try to walk past him.

He grabs my arm and pulls me against him. He pulls my shirt out and looks inside. "I already see an improvement, Cupcake." Then, he is kissing me. I am pushing him away, but he has my arms pinned against me with his, and he pushes me against the wall. Bobby is trying to get him off me, but he pulls his gun out and puts it on my head. "You are going to leave the office and let me take Stephanie home with me where she belongs. He grabs my left hand and starts to pull off my ring. He gets it off and throws it at Bobby, "Make sure to give that back to your Boss when you tell him that she is my woman, and I don't share."

"Joe, why are you doing this to me. You know I love Ranger and that we are going to be married."

"Cupcake, if only you knew the truth. You think you know everything, but you don't. I have Valerie's paternity test here. Manoso is the father of her unborn child, not Albert. He lied to you. He's the report." He waves it in front of my face.

"No, Joe, you're the one who's lying." He kisses me again, deeper than the last kiss. I'm not enjoying it, but I can't stop him. His hands are starting to wander, and I'm starting to panic. My mouth is going dry, and I start to feel paralyzed. Suddenly, Morelli lets go of me, and I collapse. Bobby catches me in his arms and is holding me tight, telling me it's okay. I finally see why Morelli let go, Carlos has him up against the wall, with his feet dangling. This is a feat, considering that Morelli has Carlos by at least two inches in height. Bobby is giving me back my ring, and I put it back on my finger.

"You will leave my fiancé alone. You will not touch her again. You will not kiss her again. Your time to force her to do what you want is over. She will never go to your house again. She will never be in your bed again. You will not spread lies about me. You are the one who is the father of Valerie's baby. You are the one who slept with your girlfriend's sister, not me. I would rather go the rest of my life without being with a woman before I would ever disrespect the woman I love." He punches him in the side and drops him to the floor. He comes over to me and picks me up and carries me to his car. "Bobby, get in Stephanie's car and bring it back to RangeMan, you are off the clock. Cal, Hal, stick to us, two cars back. Tank, you're with Stephanie and me. You drive."

He places me in the back seat and slides in next to me. He buckles me in and then himself. He gives Tank the signal to drive. "Do you still want to talk to your grandmother?"

"Later. Let's go home, please." I put my head on his chest and let myself cry.

Bobby beat us back to headquarters. He was waiting for the elevator, and he looked petrified when he saw Carlos's face. "Bobby, I don't want to see you right now. You best leave before I make you leave."

"Carlos, it's not his fault. He tried to help me. Joe pulled his gun and held it against my head. He couldn't come any closer. He was holding the door open for me, and I was halfway out of the office when Joe grabbed me. I wasn't expecting it. Then I just froze."

"She's right, Boss," Cal said timidly. "He couldn't do anything. He was looking for an opportunity, but Joe wasn't giving him. He couldn't risk Morelli pulling the trigger by accident."

I keep my arms around Carlos, trying to calm him down. I feel his heartbeat slowing down. He's letting go of some of the anger. I look in his eyes, and he looks in mine. I see him melting and letting go of the violence.

"Bobby, go upstairs, I'll talk to you later. Take the stairs."

I look at Bobby and say, "I'm okay." He goes to the stairwell and starts climbing up. Cal and Hal quickly follow him. Tank stays behind. "Boss, you can't keep flying off the handle whenever she gets hurt. You don't react when it's any of your other men, or even when it's Monica. You need to look at Stephanie like you look at Monica when she is in the field."

"Steph doesn't have the skills or training that Monica has. And Monica is only my employee."

"I get that, Ranger, but until a few weeks ago, Stephanie was not even your employee or your fiancé, and you have always acted the same way. You need to compartmentalize with Stephanie, or you're going to lose some good men." Tank paused before adding, "If you think she lacks skills and training, then train her. You're the best trainer there is. She had good instincts and had done a pretty good job of taking care of herself and keeping her cool. You need to give her some credit. Once this whole mess is done, I think you need to partner her with Monica. She can help to train her."

Carlos sighs and looks and me and then Tank. "You're right. I do need to give her some more credit and cut the guys some slack. You better get on control and debrief the team. I have to take Steph up to seven."

"Okay. See you in an hour?"

"Yes, one hour."

Tank gets off on five and Ranger, and I continue up to seven. We get off and go into the apartment. I walk to the couch and sit down. "Carlos, I'm scared. I'm afraid to leave headquarters, and I don't like it. When Morelli had me against him, I froze. I could pull myself away. I could fight back. I let him kiss me. I let him put his tongue in my mouth, and I didn't fight back. I didn't try to stop him when he looked down my shirt or started to touch me. I couldn't even talk. I felt like I was back in that room, cuffed to the bed. I'm afraid to run into Morelli again, even if you are with me. I had Bobby right next to me, and he still got me. I was never afraid to be on my own; now I can't stand being out of this building."

"Babe, it is perfectly normal to feel the way you do. You have been through so much, and you are forced to continue to deal with so much more. You haven't even fully healed emotionally from the rape, and now you have all this other betrayal to deal with as well. Anyone would be having difficulty dealing with it, even me. I don't want you out of my sight. I don't want you away from my side. I haven't since that day. But I'm afraid that I'm smothering you. I don't want to, but I can't bear to be away from you. I'm afraid that I won't be there to save you like I wasn't on that day." He paused, "I put new guys on you, not even established guys. I thought they we have your back. If I would have given you appropriate back up…"

"Carlos, this is not your fault or my fault. It's Morelli's fault and Connie's fault for getting me in that house. We need to focus on finding out why."

"I know you're right, but I will always second guess myself when it comes to your safety if I am not with you. You're my everything, Steph."

"How much time do we have before we need to be downstairs?"

"Thirty minutes."

"It'll have to do," I say as I pull Carlos to the bedroom. I want to feel your hands on me and your kisses on my body. I need to erase Morelli from my memory." With that statement, Carlos picked me up and dumped me on the bed while attacking me with his kisses and his touch. I am pulling off his shirt and trying to pull down his pants. He already has my clothes off. He stops and looks at me. "You are even more beautiful with that bump. I can't wait to watch it grow knowing that those are our children in there. He kisses my belly. "My babies, I already love you more than I ever thought possible. Almost as much as I love your mommy." He kisses me with lots of tongues and is inside me just as quickly. We make fast love, full of passion. He pushes me over twice before he finally releases. He collapses and rests his head on my belly while looking at me. I run my hands through his hair. "If I don't get up, we won't make it downstairs." With that, he gets up and gets dressed. He gathers my clothes for me. I decide a need a shower first, so I tell him I'll meet him downstairs in a few. He looks at me and then says, "I hate to agree with Morelli, but they do seem to be getting a little bigger." I roll my eyes. Men.


	15. Chapter 15--Her Story

Chapter 15—Her Story

I go down to the conference room about 20 minutes after Carlos. They have already reviewed the footage and audio from the bond office. I am glad that I didn't have to relive those moments. Bobby was sitting in the conference room, and I go over to him first. "Is everything okay? Ranger wasn't too hard on you, was he?" I ask my partner.

"No, he apologized to me. He said that he overacted and that I was there for you when you needed me. That there was nothing, I could have done differently. I thought he was going to fire me, Steph. You know I would never let anything happen to you."

"Yes, I know. I think between Tank and I, Ranger has realized that when I'm involved, he can be a little irrational. If you don't want to partner with me anymore, though, I understand."

"Are you kidding, Steph? I love being your partner. I still want the assignment, unless you don't want me anymore."

"No, I picked you because I love working with you and we have fun. You are a better conversationalist than Hal or Cal. And you understand my need for donuts. You don't go into the zone as Ranger does. You helped keep me alert and focused during boring surveillance jobs. Maybe at some point in the future, I may dump you for Monica, but until then, you're it."

"Thanks, Steph." He gives me a big hug and a kiss on the check. He looks at me and my belly, and I nod yes. "Hey little ones, Uncle Bobby will make sure that you and your mommy are safe." He says while touching my bump. I smile at him and laugh. "By the way, when did you start calling him Carlos? No one is allowed to call him that."

"That is one of many perks to being his fiancé."

"Are we all ready to get the briefing?" Carlos asks. Bobby and I quickly sit down at the table. "Morelli is more unhinged than I thought. He wants to hurt Stephanie, and I think he wants to hurt the babies. It seems when Connie saw you pull up, she called Morelli. She said two words. 'She's solo,' which I think meant to me. I think Morelli is too chicken shit to try anything in front of me."

"I think that Morellis is more prepared to infiltrate this building than we are giving him credit for being. I don't think Carl and Jim were positioned to get him inside. I think they were here to try and discover holes in the system. I think once he gets Monica's key fob, he'll enter this building and jam security so that he can go virtually undetected. He may even be able to override part of the system." I tell the room.

"Ciertamente es possible. Eran realmente buenos con las computadoras." Added Hector. (It's certainly posible. They were good with computers.)

"Hector, can you prepare for that possibility?" Carlos asked him.

He nodded yes. "I think he'll come in overnight, when there are the least number of people on site. I think he'll cause a distraction, something external, that will take focus off the building so he can enter. Once in here, he'll try to jam the cameras. Most likely he'll take the stairs up to seven. He'll believe that the external problem, the distraction, will force Ranger to leave the apartment, and because it's the middle of the night, leave me alone, in bed, sleeping. We need to let him succeed in entering the apartment and getting to me."

"Are you crazy, Stephanie! He's going to hurt you, he may do something to you to cause you to lose those babies you are carrying. Why do you want to take that chance?"

"Because I won't be alone. You need to leave in case Joe's listening for you, but that doesn't mean we can't have other men the apartment. The closet is huge and you have your office. I'll be covered, and you can sneak right back in. We need to catch him in the act so I can press charges and he can fall from grace."

"Boss, you know she's right. I would tell you to put Monica there with her, but I don't think she'll be available. I think that he will get Monica in bed, and somehow immobilizer her or keep her from leaving her room right away. Once he has the keys, he's going to leave and come here. He can't risk her calling in that she lost her keys. We need to be aware that he might drug her."

"I know that's a possibility. I will try to keep that to a minimum. I'm pretty good at playing the role if I have to." Monica says. "I can hide a spare universal key on my bed where I can have access, but you may want to have someone waiting outside to come in once it's all clear."

"We need two teams on Monica. One team that will follow Morelli when he leaves, and one that will go in and check on Monica once we are sure he's not returning. If you call us before we move in, then they will take you here to headquarters to be part of the rest." Carlos paused before continuing. "We need to also plan for the contingency that he might try to take me out."

My head snaps up and look at Carlos. "The easiest way to ensure you are alone and helpless is to take me out. Even with men in the apartment, he can succeed. He wouldn't even need to do anything to you to destroy you, Steph. The stress alone could cause you to have a miscarriage. You need to understand that this scenario is a highly plausible one."

I don't know what to say. I never thought of that. But he is right, if Morelli were to kill Carlos, my life would be over. My heart would be broken into a million pieces. I wouldn't be able to recover. Carlos has been my rock and strength for so long, that I don't know if I would get the strength to make it without him. And, if I were to miscarry…I was crying, and I didn't even know it. Monica was next to me, assuring me everything would be okay. She was holding my wrist, and I realize she's taking my pulse. "Stephanie, you have to calm down. Breathe slowly. Deep breath in, deep breath out. You need to calm down. You're hurting the babies. You have to relax, Stephanie."

Carlos reaches out to hold me and Monica says to him "No, Ranger, you can't. She needs to do this on her own. If she can't relax without you, then there is no chance if something goes wrong." She continues to talk to me. "Stephanie, think about the ocean. Think about the waves crashing into shore. Smell the salty sea air. Close your eyes and picture the beach. Imagine you are sitting on the beach. Good, Stephanie, you're doing good. It's a beautiful summer day and you are sitting on the beach watching the waves come in. Okay Stephanie. You did it, you calmed yourself down by yourself. When you get stressed, think of the ocean." Monica looks a Carlos and nods her head. "Now you can hold her."

Carlos wraps his arms around me and kisses my head. He wipes away the tears from my face. "I'm sorry. But I need you to be prepared. I need you to promise me you'll stay calm. No matter what happens, you need to keep our babies safe and healthy. Come June, you will be a mother. Promise me that, Steph, please."

"I promise I'll try. But you have to promise to stay safe. I don't know if I can be a good mother without you to help me. You need to stay with me, always."

"Babe, I'll always be with you, as long as you live, I will always be in your heart, and you in mine. No one can take that away from us."

"I'm tired, I need a nap," I say to Carlos.

"I'm not surprised. This has been one crazy day." Carlos says. "You want to go up to seven?"

"Are you coming up?"

"No, I need to work on this."

"Then I use the couch in your office. I don't want to be that far away."

"I'll help you get settled." He looks at the room and says "Take ten. Get some food." He walks me into his office, opens the closet, and pulls out a pillow and a blanket. "Sometimes, when we have problems, I spend 24 hours down here in the control room. I crash on the couch for an hour or two. I need to be ready to handle any emergencies." He explained when he saw my confused expression. "Put this bracelet on. It will monitor your heart rate. If you start to have a nightmare, your heartrate will elevate and this bracelet will alert me. I'll come in here and help you. I'm so sorry I had to scare you like that. Stephanie, I want to make sure that my children live and grow up. I want them to know about me and to know what kind of man I have become. You are the only one who can tell them about the real man, about Carlos Manoso. Everyone else, even Tank, doesn't really know me the way you do. You have to survive to give them life and to give them me. I know I may not make it, but you have to survive. I swear, Babe, I will never let you rest if you don't survive. I will annoy you for all eternity."

"Carlos, don't you understand that without you, my heart will be dead. It may beat, and I may breathe, but I will not be alive. You make me fly, you are my wings. Without you, I have no one. No one cares for me, or believes in me the way you do. No one understands why I have to do what I do like you do. I want you to promise me that you won't do anything stupid. Do not stand in front of me. Do not take a bullet for me. I barely was able to handle it when Scrog shot you, and that was before you gave your heart me and I gave mine to you. I don't want to go through that fear and pain again."

"I promise I won't take a bullet for you, if you promise not to take one for me."

"Deal."

"Good, now try to rest and get some sleep. Think of the ocean before you go to sleep. Try to push away these negative thoughts." Carlos kisses my lips, then my belly. "Remember, eres mi amor, mi único amor. Te quiero." With that, he left me alone in his office.

 **Carlo's POV  
** I walk back into the conference room. Everyone is already there. We are set to continue the meeting, but I can see everyone is nervous. "Okay, so what is our plan going to be. No matter what, we need to make sure that Stephanie is protected and that she does not get hurt."

Tank is the first one to respond. "No, Ranger, you got it wrong. First, we need to make sure that you are protected and don't get hurt. Second, we protect Stephanie. If you get hurt, she'll lose those babies. If you get killed, she'll die. Maybe not tomorrow night, maybe not the next day, but it will only be a matter of time before she's gone, too. Along with your babies. If you die, those babies will never be born."

"You don't know what you are talking about," I respond.

"No, Ranger, you don't understand. Her heartrate was extremely high when she just thought about you getting hurt or worse. Her heartrate was up to about 110 beats a minute. I'm surprised she didn't faint. It would have gotten higher if I wasn't able to calm her down. She'll go into panic mode, and I'm not sure how high her rate will spike. She is prone to hyperventilating to begin with. Any additional stress won't help her. The babies are very fragile right now. Even if you were to survive, I don't know if she could emotional survive a miscarriage." Monica told me.

"Then what am I supposed to do? Sleep in a Kevlar vest, wear a helmet to bed?"

"No, don't play hero. If Morelli gets into your apartment, you must let us handle him. Let Stephanie deal with him. You cannot go in there. He'll be expecting you. He may even bring back up. Stephanie tends to go into "mother" mode when one of us is hurt. She tries to help us and keep us calm. That will be better for her to deal with. When you are hurt, she goes into crisis mode. That is not healthy for her." Bobby adds.

"Maybe we shouldn't let him get in. Or just get him in the garage, or the stairwell, or anywhere else in this building." I think aloud.

"He needs to get into seven. If charges don't stick, he'll keep trying. You know that." Tank says.

"Okay, fine. Tank, Cal and Hal, you will be on seven. You will go into position only when he enters the garage. I'll let you know when to enter. Bobby and Lester, pick another team to back up Monica. Bobby, it'll be your job to enter and make sure she is okay and bring her here to headquarters. Miguel and Vince, you will tail Morelli. Make sure he doesn't make you. Hector, you will be with me in control watching everything unfold on the cameras." I pause. The next order is one that I don't want to give and violates my privacy, but it is necessary. "I need you set up cameras in my apartment. They are only to be turned on when Morelli steps foot either in the stairwell or the elevator. Once we have him, they are to be removed. Comprende, mi amigo?"

"Si, entiendo," Hector replies.

"Now, we still need to find out why Morelli is doing this. We know that Ellen wants Stephanie with Morelli. We know that Morelli wants to marry Stephanie. But why would he allow her to be hurt the way she was if he loves her? Connie has to be holding something over him to get him to comply."

"We can't find anything. Nothing seems out of line or unusual. Joe hasn't said anything about why he is going along with this since we started to monitor him. I don't get it either." Tanks states.

I know what I need to do. I pick up my phone and called Edna Mazur. "Grandma Mazur, do you know why Ellen dislikes Stephanie so much? Are there skeletons that need to come out of the closet?" I wait for her response.

She says "Yes. Too many."

I make the decision. "Edna, I'm going to send Cal and Hal to pick you up and bring you here to Stephanie. You need to tell her what you know. Are you alone in Steph's old apartment?"

"Yes. I'm here by myself."

"Good. Stay there. Do not open the door to anyone except for Cal or Hal. They will call you when they are outside. When they knock on the door, check the peep hole to make sure that it is them. Only then can you open the door. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do. I'll be waiting." I hung up the phone. Cal and Hal were already on their way out the door and I texted them her number. "I need to go wake up Stephanie. I'm going to take her up to seven. Have Cal and Hal escort Edna to seven when she arrives. I'll come back down when I find out some information." I leave the conference room. I walk to my office and unlock the door. I see Steph on couch, sleeping peacefully. I hate to have to wake her up, so I gently take off the blanket, fold it, and place it on the chair. I then pick her up and carry her out of my office, into the elevator, and then into seven. I walk into our bedroom and lay her down on the bed. I love watching her sleep. She looks so beautiful when she is sleeping. I decide to let her sleep a little longer. Edna will understand. I don't mind having a conversation with her before Steph wakes up anyway. I need to make sure that she realizes that she must stop glamorizing Stephanie's life to fulfill her need to always be in the spotlight. I must make her understand how her grandstanding hurts her granddaughter. She needs to understand that to be a part of Stephanie's life, and the lives of her great-grandchildren, she needs to respect Stephanie's privacy. Yes, this is a conversation that I need to have with her one-on-one. Tank called to tell me that she is in the garage and on her way up. I wait at the door for her after checking on Stephanie. She arrives and I welcome her into our home.

"Where's Stephanie?"

"She's taking a nap. She has had a very stressful day and needs the rest."

"So, the rumors are true. Morelli tried to take her away from you."

I sigh. "Yes, Edna, the rumors are true. I'm glad you brought them up. You seem to care the most about Stephanie and seem to understand her better than anyone else in her family. You are also the kindest, after Stephanie, to Mary Alice, who seems to be so like her aunt. However, you hurt her when you spread lies about her or make what happens to her seem more exciting than it really is. She is always asking you not to exaggerate, but you still do. Stephanie seems to want you in her life, but you need to stop betraying her trust or her privacy. Not many people have been inside this apartment. Aside from my housekeeper, you are only the third woman to step foot into this room. As a matter of fact, the only women who have been in this building have been employees or clients, until Stephanie, and now, you. I am asking you, no, demanding that you not tell a soul about our home. If you do, or if you fuel the Burg gossip grapevine, Stephanie will cut you off like she did the rest of her family, and the rent on your apartment will no longer be paid by your granddaughter. Do you understand?"

Grandma Mazur looks at me. She is in shock. I don't think she knew this was coming. "I really hurt Steph? I never meant to. I was just trying to make my boring, old life a little more exciting. I promise, I won't talk untruths or exaggerated stories about Stephanie anymore and that I will not share anything that she doesn't want me to share."

"Thank you, Grandma Mazur. Let me go wake up Stephanie, then you can tell us both her story."

I walk into our bedroom and sit on the bed next to Stephanie. I gently pick up her hand and rub it. "Stephanie, you need to wake up. Come on Babe, wake up." I lean down to kiss her, and she starts to stir.

 **Stephanie's POV**  
Mmmm, Carlos kisses. Yummy. I stretch and slowly open my eyes. I'm in bed. How did I get here? And there is Carlos, my love, waking me up. "What time is it, Batman?"

"It's four thirty. You were in such a deep sleep when I came up here an hour ago that I just carried you here. You need to get up."

I sit up and start to kiss him. I am suddenly very awake. I begin to run my hand down his chest. He grabs my hand before I can get down any further. "Babe, your grandmother's here. She has something to tell you."

"What do you mean, she's here? How did she get here?"

"I called her. I had Hal and Cal pick her up. She's waiting in the living room. Go to the bathroom and freshen up. Come out when you're ready." He gets up and leaves the bedroom.

Damn him. He called Grandma. Why couldn't he wait. I'm not sure I want to hear what she has to say today. I don't know if I can take any more surprises. I get up and go the bathroom, wash my face, and put my hair back in a ponytail. I walk out to the living room and sit on the couch, on the opposite side from my grandmother.

"So, Grandma, what do you know about my life that I don't," I ask rather bluntly.

 **Grandma Mazur's POV**  
Stephanie doesn't look good. She looks tired and hurt and stressed. I don't know how letting all these skeletons out of the closet is going to help her, but Steph does need to know the truth. To understand why she is so different from the Plums and why no one, but for me, recognizes her. I sigh before starting the story.

"Your mother and father met in high school, and got married when they were twenty. They were deeply in love and so happy together. About six months after they were married, your mom found out she was pregnant with Valerie. She was over the moon with happiness. She couldn't wait to welcome her child into her home. Valerie was born healthy, and your mom and dad decided that she would be their only child. Your dad made a good living as a mailman, but it wasn't enough to raise more than one child in the Burg. Back then, birth control wasn't readily available, and condoms were only used by the unwed. Married couples did not dare use any form of birth control. Especially good Catholic couples. So, your mom would just time her periods and they would avoid sex when she would be ovulating. However, your mom still wound up pregnant, much to the family's surprise, when Valerie was a little over a year. She didn't seem as excited or happy with her second pregnancy as she was with her first. I was confused, because I thought it was great news. I told her, 'Ellen, God wanted you and Frank to have two beautiful children and now you will.' She didn't seem to believe me. I wasn't until she was six months pregnant that she told me how she became pregnant."

I had to stop. This story was painful for me to tell my granddaughter, primarily because of what she has been through recently. "Your mother was home one night alone. I was watching your sister. Your mom and dad were going to go out for their anniversary. Her doorbell rang and she went down and opened the front door. Jimmy Rizzoli was there, and he asked to come inside. Now, being the good Burg housewife, you mom let him in. He said that he need to talk to Frank about a problem he was having. Your mom assumed it was work related. About ten minutes later, your father walked in the door. Two more of Rizzoli's goons entered behind your father."

"Oh no, this is going where I think it is?" Steph exclaims. I see Ranger rush to her side. He pulls her off the couch, sits down, and pull her on top of him. He places his hands around her waist and rests them against his babies. I am so glad that Steph is with Ranger. I can see he loves her so much.

"Jimmy sits down next to your mother and has your father sit across from him. He asks your father for money he owes him. Your dad had run up quite the gambling debt and couldn't pay it off. Jimmy's goons tied your dad onto one of the dining room chairs and made him watch as Jimmy raped your mother. The only money your parents had saved, at the time, was money for Valerie's college education. After you mom was raped, you dad convinced her to withdraw all the money, and give it to Jimmy to satisfy the debt. She agreed. Two months later, she found out she was pregnant. She knew that the baby wasn't Frank's because they had not had sex since before her last period. She knew Jimmy was the father. She started to inquire about having an abortion, but Jimmy got wind. He told her that if Ellen got one, he would kill Valerie. So, to save Valerie, she had to give birth to you. She thought about giving you up for adoption, but Jimmy took that off the table as well. He said Frank need to live with his mistakes so he wouldn't make the same mistake again. She named you Stephanie to punish your father. Your dad wanted to name you Gianna."

I was trying to hold back my tears. I could see Stephanie was hurt.

 **Stephanie's POV**  
OMG! My mother was raped. My father is not my father. Connie is my half-sister. Holy cow. So that's why my mother hates me and my fath, no Frank, doesn't acknowledge my existence. "Grandma, why did mom and dad stay in the Burg? Why didn't they leave?"

"Your mom was too proud. No one knew her dirty little secret. She had accepted you, and at first, doted on you the way she did Valerie. But, you were much different from Valerie even as a baby. While Valerie was good eater, a good sleeper, and the perfect baby, you had colic, liked to sleep during the day and play at night. You weren't a girly-girl like Val. You hated pink and you hated dresses. You wanted to be a superhero, and not Barbie. You didn't conform to the Burg standard for little girls. She started to despise you because you were different, because you were your own person. No matter what she tried to teach you, you were never as good as Val. By the time you were two, she'd given up and you and could no longer love you like she loved Valerie."

It all started to make sense to me. I never had any kind memories with my mother. Valerie was always perfect and I was always a disaster, because my conception was a disaster. Is that how I would have treated my babies if they were Jose's? I would hope not. Thankfully, I don't have to worry about that. But I did consider having an abortion. I'm I as bad as my mom?

"Stephanie, you are much better than your mom. If those babies were mine and were a result of that night, you would never abandon them. If you decided you could keep them, you would make sure they were in the best home that they could have. But, I know that you wouldn't push them away. I know you would keep them and raise them with love because you loved them from the moment you found out about them." Carlos stated.

"Stephanie, I realize now that your mother pushed you to be with Joseph because she was glad that you weren't happy. She wanted you to be forced to conform to Burg standards, like she had to when she had you. She wants you to be miserable, so she doesn't feel so miserable. She envy's your happiness with Ranger. Since that night when you mother was raped, she and your father have never had sex. They stopped loving each other that night but stayed together for Valerie and for the Burg."

"Grandma, thank you for telling me this. I really appreciate it. However, I must ask that you let no one know that you told me the story. I need to find out how this plays into what has happened to me, because it connects someplace. And grandma, if I hear any talk about our home here, I will never speak to you again."

Grandma Mazur chuckled. "Ranger already beat you to that warning, Steph. Now, if you don't mind, there's a viewing at Stiva's tonight. Diane Mancuso is being laid out. I told Mary Jane I'd meet her there. Can those two nice young men drop me off their, please?"

"Edna, of course." My grandmother got up, came over to me and gave me a big hug. "You are much better off without the lot of them. All you need is love, and Ranger." She also gave Carlos and hug and kiss and then left.


	16. Chapter 16--The Last Mission

Chapter 16—The Last Mission

 **Carlos's POV**

I can see that Stephanie has not fully processed what her grandmother just told her. I can't imagine what it must feel like to be hated just because you existed. To know that the only reason you were alive was to punish someone else. I look at her. Her face is blank. She is never without emotion. Her eyes are always so expressive, her face never hides what she is thinking, but now, I can't read her. I don't think she even sees the room around her. I text Tank, **Call Dr. Hendrickson and get him here to Trenton immediately. No price.** Tank knows that whatever the doctor asks for, he'll get. Stephanie is worth every last penny that I have, as long as I can get her through this.

I walk over to her. "Babe, are you okay?" I sit directly in front of her. If she was looking, she couldn't help but see me, but she didn't. I gently touch her shoulders and shake her, "Babe, are you there? Come on, say something to me." No reaction. Crap, this is bad. I've seen this on the battlefield too many times, after some horrors of war. I've been there, also. Unable to understand the reality that was surrounding me. I go back in my mind to that dark place.

 _I'm in the jungle, with my men. I'm wearing the green fatigues, trying to blend in with the jungle around me. We are trying to rescue the Ambassador to Columbia's 15-year old daughter, who was kidnapped by the drug lords because he wouldn't take their bribe. We found the little hut where they were keeping her. We knew our mission. Get in, get her out, kill whoever was in our way. We did this at least twenty times before, in different parts of the world against different enemies, but still, the same. Another faceless victim. That's what I have to think to keep me sharp and focused. I motion to my men to move forward. Suddenly, one of them gets tangled up in a net booby trap. FUCK! They knew we are here. Now is when bad and turn to worse. We move in quickly, surprise no longer in our favor. I'm about to enter the hut when I feel a prick in my neck and I collapse. I wake up. I don't know how long I've been out of it, but my head is fuzzy. I feel like I've been drugged. Where am I? Why can't I move? I look around and realize that I'm tied to a chair in the center of a room. I'm looking at a figure in a bed. It's a girl, she looks tired, defeated, and broken, both physically and mentally. I hear a door open. A voice speaks to be in Spanish. "I'm going to show you a picture. Here are the rest of your men." I see images of my men, dead, in a pit. They are all gone. It's just me left. I know back up is on their way, but I don't know how far back they are. I don't know how long I've been out of it. The voice continues. "Now, I know you're in charge. I will let you live. You can let your government know what happens when they try to take away our business. Tell your arrogant American bosses to stay out of Columbia and out of my business." The voice walks over to the girl. She is wearing the dress that she was taken in. He pulls her by her hair off the bed and forces her to take him in her mouth. She is crying, begging for help. I try to escape my ropes, but I can't. Then, he tosses her on the bed and destroys her innocence and her childhood. She is screaming, but that only seems to make him more excited. Finally, when he is done with her, he slits her throat in front of me. "If I ever see you near me again, I will do this to your mother, sister, wife, girlfriend, lover, or child. I don't care who. But I will destroy her, and in turn, destroy you." The voice left the hut. I can't believe what I have just seen. I am sick. I can't get out. I failed my first mission. That poor, poor girl. At least she doesn't have to live with this horror any longer._

"Ranger, are you okay? Look at me." Tank was sitting in the room. Stephanie wasn't there. I get up in a panic. Tank pushes me down. "Steph is in the bathroom taking a shower. Ella is with her. I tried to call you to tell you that Dr. H. is on his way and will be here in three hours. You didn't answer. I tried for about 15 minutes. Then I had to come up here. Stephanie was on the couch, in the fetal position, just staring. I immediately called Ella to deal with Steph. You weren't responding to me. Where did you go?"

"I went back to Columbia, my last mission. All these overlaps between Steph's life and that mission. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing here. I don't know if I was right to ask Stephanie to marry me. What if Rivera and I cross paths again? He'll do to Steph what he did to the Ambassador's daughter, and maybe worse. He doesn't like young girls. She is more his type. How can I live with bringing someone like him into her life? I was stupid to believe, even for a moment, that I can have a normal life with a wife and a family. I'll stay with Steph until she has our babies. I'll help her get settled into the role of mom, with Ella as her support. Then, before the babies are a year, I'll leave. I'll support them like I do Julie. None of them will want for anything. But, they will be safe."

"Ranger, Carlos, are you fucking crazy? Don't you understand how you will destroy Stephanie by doing that to her? Abandoning her after she lost all of her family and most of her friends? Do you think any of us here will allow you to hurt her in that way? Since when did you become so fucking selfish?"

"I'm not selfish; I'm looking out for her safety."

"No, you're not. You are taking the coward's way out. There will be nobody to protect her if you leave her. She'll be more vulnerable than ever because she won't care what happens to her. She will never be able to love those babies as she would with you by her side. Carlos, when you are with Stephanie, you are alive. You smile, and you laugh. No matter how bad the situation is or how stressed you are, when she walks into the room, you relax. Everyone sees it. From that first day you met her when Connie asked you to help her become a bounty hunter, we all knew that you were head of heals for her. You came back and told me about her. You described her to me as 'the most clueless, most insane woman you ever met to think she could become a bounty hunter, because the only weapon she had going for her was that she sexy and beautiful, with crazy, curly brown hair and the most amazing blue eyes.' Then, after she called you when Morelli cuffed her to her shower rod, you came into my apartment the next morning and said that you were shocked that you didn't sleep with her. You wanted to, but you couldn't bring yourself to take advantage of her like that. You said you needed to take a cold shower when you returned home to get her out of your mind, but you couldn't. Whenever she calls you, you drop everything to help her. You must have broken six chairs when she and Morelli first started dating, and every time they made up after a breakup, you were so angry. You had three essential client meetings scheduled, she calls from Hawaii, and you get on the next plane out of Trenton, with wedding bands, to be with her. But you think you can live without her. You think you can leave her behind after promising her to marry her."

We hear a noise behind us and see Stephanie standing there with Ella, frozen, on the verge of collapsing.

 **Stephanie's POV**

Once my grandmother left our home, the weight of what she said hit me in the gut. I couldn't move. In my mind, my life kept flashing before. Never getting what I wanted, even when it came to dressing color. Never been treated like my sister. Always being wrong, never being right. I was the reason my parents never said I love you to each other. I was the reason they just existed in the same home. If it weren't for me, they would be happy. Instead, they are miserable, and it's all my fault. Carlos is on his phone. I don't know what he was doing, but I don't care. I can tell Carlos hates me; he's disgusted with me. He probably doesn't want me to be his wife anymore. It's okay. Being alone is nothing new for me. I just need to close off. I need to shut everything down. Don't feel anything, Stephanie. Just hide in your mind. You are happy there, living in your fantasy world where you are loved, and you are the center of someone's universe. I don't want to be touched. I crawl into a ball on the couch and stare at the wall.

Tank comes in. He's calling to me, and he's calling to Carlos. Carlos! Something is wrong with him. He's not moving; he's staring straight ahead like me. I want to hold him, but I can't. I need to stay inside. I can't let emotion into my mind. Ella comes rushing into the room. "Stephanie, mi hija, are you okay? Come, let's take a shower. You'll feel better." She takes my hand and pulls me up. She guides me to the bedroom. I turn to look at my rock, but something's wrong with him. "Carlos" I cry. Ella responds. "Shh, mi hija, he's okay. He's with Tank. Come with me."

She helps me to get undressed and helps me to take a shower. I do feel better. I can start to focus on the room around me. I finally can talk. "Ella, what's happened?"

"Your grandmother was here. She told you disturbing information about your family. I think you were overwhelmed by what she said. Dr. Hendrickson in on his way. He'll be here shortly to help you process what you learned. "

"I need to see Carlos. I need him to be better. I hate to see him hurt."

"Okay, mi hija, let's go inside."

We start to walk towards the living room. I hear Tank talking to Carlos. "You must have broken six chairs when she and Morelli first started dating, and every time they made up after a breakup, you were so angry. You had three important client meetings scheduled, she calls from Hawaii, and you get on the next plane out of Trenton, with wedding bands, to be with her. But you think you can live without her. You think you can leave her behind after promising her to marry her."

I gasp, and they both look at me. "You want to leave me. You don't want to marry me, anymore? You don't love me?" The words came out in barely a whisper. The tears were flowing, and my legs grew weak. I collapsed down to my knees on the floor. That's it. I am broken. I lost everyone now. Even Carlos doesn't love me anymore now that he knows that I am the daughter of a rapist. Suddenly, he was putting his arms around me. "Get off of me. I know you don't want me or love me anymore. I won't stay. Once we figure out why Connie set me up, I'm out of Trenton. I'll leave you behind and start my life anew. And don't worry about the babies, I'll take care of them so they won't be either of our problems. I'll do to them what my mother should have done to me."

He grabbed me from behind and pulled me against him. "Ssh, Babe, please stop. Please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I love you! You have to believe me. Dios, mi amor, you need to relax. It is not good for our children. You have to stop fighting. I love you, Stephanie, and I won't leave you. Please believe me, Stephanie. I can't live without you."

"Then why did you say that you were going to leave me and not marry me?"

Carlos looked at Ella and Tank. "Please, I need to be alone with Steph."

They look at me and look at Carlos, and both leave. Before he closes the door, Tank looks at me and says "If you need me, Stephanie, just hit 2 and I will be here."

Carlos looks at me and takes me to the couch. We sit angled towards each other, so our knees are touching. He is holding my hand. He kisses each hand. "Babe. I'm so sorry I hurt you and put doubt in your mind. When I heard what your grandmother said, on top of everything that has happened in the last couple of months, I had a flashback to my final mission as a Ranger. I was leading a rescue mission in Columbia. The drug lord took the daughter of a United States Ambassador. He was holding her to punish her father for trying to stop the drug trade to the US. We found out where he was holding her in the jungle. We got to the remote location without much difficulty. We were ready to enter the hut to rescue her when we hit booby traps. Our cover was blown, and we could turn back. I ordered men forward. I was hit with a tranquilizer gun, and the rest of my team, nine men, were executed. When I came to, I was bound to a chair in the hut. The asshole showed me pictures of my men, dead in a pit. He then proceeds to rape that beautiful, innocent fifteen year old in front of me. I couldn't stop him. I couldn't save her. I couldn't be her hero. Then, when he finished with her, he slit her throat. I had to watch her be abused, used, and killed and I couldn't do anything about it. He then told me that if I ever crossed his path again, he'd do that someone who I loved. It was that promise that kept me from falling in love, until the day I met you. Since I met you, I have relived that mission in my dreams; only you are the one he has captive. The only time that mission doesn't enter my dreams is when you are sleeping next to me." He maneuvers his body so that he can pull me between his legs. My back is against his chest and he is holding me tight. He buries his head in my hair. "I love the smell of your shampoo. When you would leave my apartment to go back to yours, or worse, to Morelli, I would ask Ella not to wash your pillowcase so I could smell your shampoo at night. Babe, mi amor, you have to understand, that mission put me in a dark place and I often can't think straight when it enters my mind. It was the only time I failed a rescue mission, and a fifteen year old girl had to suffer because I fucked up. I'm always afraid that I'll be too late to save you. This time, I was too late and you were raped and forced to kill a man. Next time, you could be dead. All of my issues with commitment go back to that mission."

I take his arms and pull them tighter around me. ? I realize that I am bleeding. It's almost as if I have my period. Oh my God! The babies. "Carlos, something's wrong. I'm bleeding, and I shouldn't be." I start to panic and cry once again.

"Babe, what do you mean?"

I stand up and point to my pants. "Look." With that, he picks up the phone and presses 2. "Tank, get down to the garage and pull my Cayenne as close to the elevator as possible. Have Monica call the hospital and tell them to expect Stephanie. There's something wrong with the babies."

He picks me up and carries me out of the apartment. We get in the elevator and the doors open to the garage. Tank is waiting with the back door to the car open. Ranger puts me in and climbs in next to me. Before he even closes the door, he tells Tank to go. We rush to St. Francis. We get there, and they direct us to maternity. I have to wait for a sonogram to find out if our babies are okay. "I'm sorry, Carlos, it's all my fault. I keep letting myself get stressed. Monica keeps telling me to stay calm, but I can't. I don't want to lose our children."

"It will be okay. If something went wrong, we'd just have to keep trying until you get pregnant again. I promise I'll make you the mother of my children if you want my children."

The nurse comes in to take my vitals. She tells me sonogram technician will be here momentarily to take me to the room. About two minutes later, the tech walks in. "Hi, Stephanie. Come, I'm here to take you for your sonogram."

"Can Ranger come with me?"

"Is he your husband?"

"No, but he's their father."

"I'm sorry, only husbands are allowed." Carlos leans it and kisses me. "It'll be fine. I'll be waiting here for you." She takes me to my bed through the hospital to the room with the sonogram machine. Once we arrive, she asks me about my pregnancy. How far along am I, am I having any complications, any pain. I give her all the information she asks for; then she is ready to do the sonogram. "The babies are still too small, so I have to do an internal sonogram. The internal will allow me to see them, and hopefully, hear both of their heartbeats. If I do, then they should be fine."

She puts the gel on the probe and places it inside me. I feel her looking for the babies. Suddenly, I hear a fast sound. She smiles and looks at me. "That's twin A. That is a very healthy heartbeat." She takes some measurements and prints out a few pictures. Then, she moves over to twin B. I hear the same sound. "Well Stephanie, they are both fine. It doesn't look like your leaking any amniotic fluid, so you seem to be fine. The doctor will look at the results and will talk to you soon about what to do to keep them healthy."

I was relieved; our babies are okay. I need to do whatever is necessary, and I have to keep them safe. She wheels me back to the maternity wing where I see Carlos pacing. He sees the smile on my face and knows instantly that our children are okay. The tech leaves me and promises me that the doctor will be there shortly. "I heard their hearts beating. It's amazing. They are alive in me." Carlos kisses my lips and then kisses the babies in my belly.

"Babe, I'm happy. I was so scared and worried. We've only known for a short time, but I am already looking forward to being a real, full-time dad this time."

"I know. The idea of being a mommy is growing on me more and more."

The doctor walks in. The doctor was a resident, not my usual ob. "Ms. Plum, your babies are doing great, but you need to rest. I am putting you on bed rest for the next two weeks. Right now is a critical time in your pregnancy, and we don't want to take any chances. You need to physically be in a bed for at least 14 hours each day, and sitting on a couch or chair for another 8. You can spend some time up and about because moving is important, but no real exertion or exercise. You can walk around your home, but this is about it. And no sex for the next two weeks. Twins put a greater strain on your womb because there is less room for each of them. Your body doesn't change fast enough for twins, so you need to take more precautions. Just know that you may not get cleared for sex until after their birth. Make sure to drink lots of water, at least ten cups a day. Being dehydrated can cause you to go into early labor." He then hands me the discharge papers and I are free to leave.

We go to the main lobby and see Tank. "They're fine. And I'm on bedrest."

"Thank God." Tank answers. "Is it okay if I inform HQ? Everyone is anxious."

"Yes, go ahead and let them know everyone is fine."

We get back to RangeMan, and Monica is waiting for me. "Let me see your discharge papers." I hand them to her. She looks them over. She looks at the "no sex" directive. She looks at me then looks at Carlos, "Maybe you should sleep on the couch, Ranger. Just to let you know, that includes oral sex." She shook her head and started to laugh "Maybe I should return to Boston until after these babies are born."

I know that Monica and I were thinking the same thing, Carlos, like all men, gets cranky and short-tempered when he's not having sex when he could be. Carlos gives her a look. "You don't scare me, Manoso."

"Just don't tell the men. It'll ruin my reputation."

"I don't have to tell them. The guys will figure it out on their own in about two days. You two teenagers are transparent. We know every time you have a quickie up on seven or elsewhere. We also know when you don't. You need better-satisfied faces." With that, Monica enters the stairwell to run up to five.

"You know she's right, Carlos. You do become more difficult, and Lula is always telling me that I'm Ms. Cranky Pants when I'm not getting regular sex." I laugh and then turn bitter when I think of how Lula betrayed me.

"Well, then, Ms. Cranky Pants, I better get you upstairs and into bed so that we can resume normal activities in two weeks." Carlos sweeps me up off my feet and brings me up to seven in the elevator. Ella is waiting, wringing her hands to find out how I am. "Ella, we are all fine. I'm on bedrest for the next two weeks."

"That's great news. Look, come, mi hija, I'll help you take a shower and get you into more comfortable clothes." Ella helps me into one of Ranger's t-shirt and cute boxers. I get into bed and look around. I ask Ella for the phone. She puts it next to be. I pick up and dial the conference room. "Yo."

"Hi."

"Babe."

"I have a slight problem up here."

"You haven't even been home an hour; you can't possibly have a problem yet."

"Well, I do. There's no television in the bedroom. There are no books or crossword puzzles or even a deck of cards. What I'm I supposed to do when I'm stuck, in bed, for fourteen hours a day. Yes, I know I can sleep for some of that time, but what about the rest? And when I'm stuck on the couch, there's only so much television I can watch. I'm already going stir crazy, AND I can't have donuts."

"Babe." He hung up.

Two minutes late I heard the door open. "You know, Steph, it's impossible to get work done with you up here."

"Well, most people have televisions in their bedrooms. Most people _live_ in their homes."

"Babe, you didn't have a television in the bedroom of your apartment. And you didn't have games or cards or puzzles either. You didn't have much of anything."

"I used to have a television, and a DVD player, before I had to sell them to make rent."

"Hector and Miguel went out to get you a tv, a DVD player, and some other forms of entertainment. When they return, they'll be up to install it. Anything else for her majesty?"

"Today, when Bobby and I were on our way to the bond office, we were talking. It seems that all our PDAs are making some of the guys a little uncomfortable. He said that we could give teenagers a run for their money. Do you think maybe you can tone it down a little, at least in the conference room and on the main floor? I think we need to give them more time to get used to _us_ as a couple."

Carlos laughed. "He's right. I guess I forgot what it's like to be on that side of the fence. We will tone it down a little."

"They know we did it in the Turbo."

"How?"

"They saw the ten-minute, unplanned, unnecessary stop in the alley, saw my tracker in your car, and made an inference." I paused, "He also said that the only time you would go off grid in Trenton was when you came to my apartment. How often did you go there?"

He shook his head. "They used to loyal only to me." He murmured, "Almost every night. Whenever I would have a nightmare or flashbacks, I would get so unsettled. Sometimes I would drive to your apartment and just sit you lot and look at your window and picture you inside. If I would get there and see Morelli's car in the lot, I would resist the urge to go up and throw him out the window, but usually would just drive home. If my flashbacks were particularly intense, I would go into your apartment and watch you sleep for a while. Being near you would calm me down enough that I was able to go back to seven and get some sleep."

"How many times did you break into my apartment without waking me up?"

"Probably a thousand times."

"Damn, you need to teach me how you did that."

"When you were staying at Morelli's was the hardest for me. I couldn't drive to his house and sit outside or sneak in. Those were the nights when I would work most of the night and catch a few hours at daybreak. I rarely have those flashbacks or nightmares when I'm with you. I can relax and sleep because I know you are safe and that you are with me."

While we were talking, he started to rub circles on my arm. I didn't realize it, but it was making me sleepy. I yawn. "Babe, why don't you take a nap. We are working on finalizing the details for tomorrow. I'll be back up soon to supervise Miguel and Hector during the installation. And, you will meet with Dr. H. in the morning."

I close my eyes and go to sleep.

 **Joe's POV**

I can't believe how lucky that Manoso is. Five more minutes and I would have had Stephanie in my car, and I would be on my way to Canada with her by now. I have the sleeping pills and the syringe of tranquilizers ready along with our new IDs. Connie has a new car waiting for me. All I need is Stephanie. I have medications to give to her to cause her to miscarry those brats. We'll settle in Canada, and I'd work on getting her pregnant with our child. She'll finally be mine. Monica is hot and is pretty good in the sack, but I don't trust her. Think Manoso has her trying to set me up. Well, he's not as smart as he thinks. I have overrun her security at home. They have no idea I'm in her house right now. When she gets home, I'm going to incapacitate her, take her keys, and get into RangeMan tonight. I know they think that tomorrow is the night. I must move the plan up a day. I found all the trackers they put on me, including the one on my necklace. That was smart; I almost missed it. They are all sitting in my house right now. I hear her car pull up. I need to hide.

Her door slams. She walks to the front door and turns her key in the lock. She enters and disengages her alarm. She picks up her cell and checks in. "All is clear. See you in am." She tosses her phone on the coffee table with her keys. She goes up the bedroom and I hear the shower running. I hear her get into the shower. This is even better. I grab her keys and walk out the door. I go back to my house and go out the back door. I walk to my brother's house and borrow his car. It's getting late, so I drive to RangeMan. My cousin is going to break into Senator Juniak's home. That will be a big breach that will force Manoso to leave RangeMan along with half his team. Mooch texts me that the break-in is done. Two minutes later, I see the fleet mobilize. Eight cars go out. Finally, the Turbo leaves. I see Ranger in the driver's seat. I sneak into RangeMan on foot before the gate closes. I get into the garage and switch the feed to loop. Jim showed me that trick. Better than jamming because they will still see everything, except I'll be a ghost. I go to the stairwell and climb up to seven. I open the door into the lobby. I try Monica's key fob. Bingo! The door opens. I close the door behind me and slowly make my way towards the bedroom. I see Stephanie under the covers. God, she's so beautiful. I'm so glad she's about to be all mine. I have the syringe with the tranqs all ready to inject her with. She won't wake up and fight me. I lean down and kiss her. She moans "Carlos, is that you?" I continue to kiss her and touch her breasts. "You know we can't do this for two weeks. Doctor's orders." I place the syringe against her arm.


	17. Chapter 17--The Break-In

Chapter 17—The Break-In

 **Monica's POV**

I finally have a few minutes to myself in the RangeMan facilities. Things are much busier here than in Boston. Being here on assignment and not permanently working here means that I do a lot of different jobs. My primary purpose was the distraction, but will my research skills and medic training, I've done more than just that. I am enjoying working here. I didn't fully appreciate how much I miss Bobby, or how much I love him. I know that me sleeping with Morelli wasn't easy for Bobby to have to deal with, especially given our past relationship. I give him a lot of credit, but then, when we were together again, it was all worth it. Carlos has also changed. I have to remember to call him Ranger here. Not many people know of our past. He was my protector, my confidant, and my brother during Ranger school, and he was the reason I got through that hell. He was the first one to respect me for my skills, and he was the only one to go to our CO and express his frustration that I wasn't to become a full Ranger, only because I didn't possess a "y" chromosome. He comforted me after I got that devastating news. At the time, I was fascinated with him, not that it's hard to be. He's a gorgeous man I have ever met. I mean, women see him and start walking into walls or just staring. He exudes sex; it seeps out of his pores. But, alas, he never saw me in _that_ way. He had a reputation for being the king of the one night stand. More like a couple of hours standing. He never stayed the full night. The guys were all in awe of how many women he had. I remember this one girl he was with on night in Georgia. She was all over him. From the moment we all walked in the bar, her eyes were on him. The guys were all trying to hook up with someone. It was the night before our graduation, and we were all in a celebratory mood. Carlos rarely went home with anyone when I went out with them. He took it as his mission to keep me safe. But, I wasn't that excited. It was the day I found out that I wouldn't be joining my team in the field. Second in the class only to Carlos, and I was excluded. It still grated me to this day. I watched her observe all of the other girls who made passes and were sent away. The guys started to bet on who would be his girl du jour. I was always a little disgusted how they thought of women as conquests. Carlos said he couldn't let love in, not yet. He wasn't ready. Carlos wanted success first, then respect, and finally, a mate. But, he once told me, if he never found "the one" he'd be fine by himself. Carlos liked his solitude. He used women, that was true, but never someone who was unwilling. If a girl ever hesitated, Carlos would walk away. He said, like all people, but especially men, he had needs, and the women were just a way to satisfy those needs. It wasn't loved. It was just sex. He made it clear that there was no emotional involvement. So, I just loved him from afar. As we would meet up again after I became a medic, I saw that he had changed. He wasn't so open with me anymore, and he lost the little bit of emotion that he had. He had become even more distant. I knew he did tough missions, a lot of kidnappings. They wore on the minds of the troops the most. He was the best. I was always surprised he didn't become a career Army man. He could have made General; he was that good. But his last mission killed him; he couldn't do the job with that indifference anymore, so he got out. Well, that woman, really girl, was so caught up in him. With the help of liquid courage, she finally made her way over to Carlos. She had a lot of boobs and big hair. She wasn't from Georgia. She looked a little like Betty Boop. She started flirting with Carlos, be he was ignoring her because I was there. I finally left at about 12:30 because I was tired, and I felt terrible that Carlos wasn't celebrating because of me. So I went back to base. I found out the next day that Carlos did leave with her, but he didn't stay long. He checked in on my about 3 in the morning to make sure I got back to base okay. How he used to get into the women's barracks without ever being caught, I don't know. That man moves like a cat.

When I finally left the Army, I found out about this company. He had some position open in both Boston and Trenton. Bobby and I were dating by then, but we were at a crossroad. We both wanted to work for Carlos, who by that time became as Ranger, but I wanted to be in New England, closer to my family and Bobby wanted to be in Trenton, with Ranger. We were both hired, and I went to Boston and Bobby here. I would be summoned to Jersey several times a year, usually for a few day to a week, to do a distraction job. However, a few years ago, I stopped getting that call. Then, when some of the Boston guys came back from stint here, they would talk about this woman that Carlos had for distractions. They said she seemed to have no training, but was a natural. She was a hottie. They also noted that Ranger didn't treat her nor talk to her like he did his other employees. He said "please" to her. Whenever they tried to get any information about her from the Trenton guys, all they would say was that she was out of their league and off limits if they wanted to keep their jobs. She belonged to the Boss, even though she was sometimes dating some hot shot cop.

I asked Bobby about her when I got the call for this job. He told me that she was Ranger's "Babe" and that all the guys loved her as a sister. He also said that she had Ranger wrapped around her finger and that he would do anything for her. Bobby said that they were in love, but both were too stupid and too blind to see it. Ranger kept pushing her back to the loser cop who belittled her and mistreated her because he couldn't handle a relationship. She would blow up cars, burn down funeral homes, and get into crazy situations and Ranger would always drop everything to come to her rescue. This woman called him Batman, and he tracked her every move. He gave her cars, which she would blow up, and she had the key to seven. When I arrived, I found that Carlos has changed. He is starting to become more of the man I knew before. This woman opened him up again. I could tell he was happy. Then, when I finally met "Babe," I knew at that moment, that she was the one for him.

I want to stay here in Trenton. And I like Stephanie. I want to work with her and be her partner. I love how I am accepted here and treated as an equal. I also want to watch Ranger as he becomes that man I always knew he was. I hope that he will be willing to extend my stay here.

"Monica" I jump. I was lost in my head, "Come to my office. We need to talk."

I get up and walk into Ranger's office. He motions for me to sit down across from him. "Monica, I'm glad that you were able to come down here and work with me on this issue. I know it's not something we usually do, but it's important to me."

"I'm glad you trusted me with this. I know how important Stephanie is to you."

"And it gave you and Bobby and chance to reconnect. I know that he was not pleased that you slept with Morelli." He looks at my face to read me. "But already know that."

"Yes, and we are in a good place right now."

"Stephanie thinks that you both love each other deeply but are a little afraid to commit, something that both Stephanie and I are experts in." He gives a small smile. I don't answer. I don't mind admitting my feels to Stephanie, but here, with Carlos, it feels a little strange.

"I know you are struggling to call me Ranger. I don't mind if you call me Carlos, but not in front of anyone. They don't realize how far we go back." He paused, "Stephanie knows we were in Ranger school together, but I don't think she knows how you felt about me."

He surprised me with that statement. I thought I hid my feelings from him. "You knew?"

"Yes, Monica, I knew you had a thing for me. You always used to ask about my, dates, and how I could just hit and run. I knew that you were fishing. That's why I tried to never 'date' when you went out with us guys. I thought it would be rude and I didn't want to hurt your feelings. You were never someone I would have been able to do that too."

"Wow. You were always good at reading people. I realize now just how good you are."

"That brings me to the purpose of this meeting. With Stephanie out of commission for the next year, I need someone here full time to run distractions. You and Stephanie run a tight race. I'm not quite sure who is better at them. But, more than that, I would like you to become Stephanie's partner when she is back on her feet. She is miserable only doing desk work, but she has great instincts, and I could give both of you time to do research, which you both excel at, and to have time in the field. I know she wants to continue to skip chase, and I'm thinking of have RangeMan become a licensed bail bond agency. I think you can train her better than the guys or me because, and don't get mad at me for saying this, you are a woman. I know you are almost as good as me, so I know that Stephanie will be safe, and I'll be less like to want to kill you if she gets a scratch, whereas my men, they go running for the hills. Are you interested in transferring here to Trenton?"

OMG! This position here in Trenton is precisely what I want. I'm excited. "Yes. I'd love to be here permanently. For the first time, I have been accepted here as an equal. I'm not looked down upon or looked over because I'm a woman. They respect me and trust me to do my job, and that comes directly from you. As for me calling you Carlos, I think I better get used to Ranger. As much as Steph and I get along, she has a mean jealous streak, and I don't think she'd take kindly to another woman calling her man by his given name when no one else does. She even calls you Ranger around the office."

"I think you're right. Well, Monica, welcome to Trenton. I'll have Tank arrange everything with Boston. Do you need to go back there to pack up your stuff or close out any cases?"

"No, I'm clear. I rented my apartment furnished. I have some clothes and personal items there, but my cousin has the key. She'll pack up the stuff and ship it here to me. I don't need to go back to Boston."

"Well, it's past nine. You better go home. You need to rest for tomorrow night."

I get up to leave, but I pause first, "Ranger, I'm so glad you met Stephanie and let her into your life. She is your soulmate, and she loves you unconditionally. You may not understand this, but you can damage her beyond repair. Even with everything she is learning now about her family and so-called friends, if you break her heart, she is as good a dead."

I open the door and leave. I stop back at my desk to grab my bag and keys. I didn't realize how late it got. I stop in the break room to get a sandwich and eat it before I leave. I take an apple for the road. I go down to the garage, get into my car, and drive home. I'm there within fifteen minutes. I get out of my car and walk to the door. I unlock the front door. I see Morelli's car in his driveway and the TV on. I guess he's staying in tonight. I enter my home, disarm my alarm, and lock the front door. I'm exhausted. I check in with HQ. "All is clear. See you in am." I throw my cell phone and keys on the coffee table in the living room and head upstairs. I start the water running in the shower. I take my make-up off. I hear a noise that sounds like the front door closing. I wait a moment, but hear nothing else. Probably just my imagination. I strip off my clothes and open the bathroom window slightly before getting into the shower. I see Morelli open his back door and sneak out of his yard. He walking to the next block over. What the hell is he doing? Then I see the glint of the keychain in his hand. FUCK! He has my keys. I grab my robe and run down to the living room. My keys are gone. I check the alarm and I see that it has been bypassed. Damn it. How can I be so careless? I get my phone and call Ranger.

"Yo."

"Ranger, it's Monica. I got bad news. Morelli has my keys fob, the real one. He somehow bypassed my alarm and must have been waiting for me to come home in the house. I got in and went straight up to take a shower. I happened to see him running through his yard and caught I glimpse of my jeweled keychain. I ran back down to check, and my keys are gone. I'm sorry, I failed. I think he's heading to HQ, but not is his car."

"Damn it. Steph is sleeping on seven. I don't want to wake her to move her. She's had such an emotional day, and she needs the rest. Hold on a second. "I hear him talking to Tank in the background, "Senator Juniak's home? Well played, Morelli, well played." He comes back on the line. "Morelli just had someone break into Senator Juniak's home. He's running his distraction. I'll send Bobby and Lester to you. Be ready." With that, he hangs up.

 **Carlos's POV**

That meeting with Monica went well. I was such as ass to her back then. I knew she had a thing for me and I didn't squash it. The guys thinking she was my girl then protected her from any further harassment, but it gave her the wrong idea. I viewed her as one of my sisters. I call my counterpart in Boston. He's not happy I'm stealing Monica from him. But, apparently, I need to send Tank to Boston to discuss how they should be treating all team members as equals, regardless of their gender. But that can wait. I need to get up to seven to check on Stephanie. It's been three hours since I was last there. I wonder if she ate yet. I go up to the apartment and let myself in. All is quiet. I walk into the bedroom and see her curled into a ball, holding my pillow against her, sleeping. I go over and kneel next to the bed and move her hair out of her face. She doesn't even budge. "Babe," I say softly. She still doesn't yield. I guess I'm on my own for dinner tonight. My phone cell phone rings, it's Tank.

"Talk."

"You need to come down here. We have a situation, and it's not good."

I kiss Steph on her cheek and tell her I love her before I leave the apartment and head back down to control. "This better be an emergency. Steph is still sleeping. I'm uncomfortable with leaving her alone right now."

"I get it, but." Before Tank can tell me the issue, my phone rings again. It's Monica. "Yo."

"Ranger, it's Monica. I got bad news. Morelli has my keys fob, the real one. He somehow bypassed my alarm and must have been waiting for me to come home in the house. I got in and went straight up to take a shower. I happened to see him running through his yard and caught I glimpse of my jeweled keychain. I ran back down to check, and my keys are gone. I'm sorry, I failed. I think he's heading to HQ, but not is his car."

"Damn it. Steph is sleeping on seven. I don't want to wake her to move her. She's had such an emotional day, and she needs the rest. Hold on a second. "

I look at Tank. He starts talking, "Someone broke into Juniak's home. The Senator is home right now with his grandkids. We need to send a team." "Senator Juniak's home? Well played, Morelli, well played."

I go back to Monica on the phone. "Morelli just had someone break into Senator Juniak's home. He's running his distraction. I'll send Bobby and Lester to you. Be ready." I hang up on Monica and turn to Tank. "That was Monica, Morelli's got her key fob, the real one, and she thinks he's heading here in an unknown vehicle. Damn it. I don't want Steph alone. We don't have time to plan."

Hector comes over to me. "Me quedare con Estefania, Miguel and yo."

"Okay, Hector, both of you, go up now. DO NOT WAKE HER. I prefer she doesn't know anything until tomorrow." They leave control and head up to our apartment. I turn back to Tank. Let's send out the cavalry. Morelli will think we are rushing to Juniak's, but only one team will go for now and one to get Monica. Well send out eight cars. Six will go around the block and return in five minutes. We'll have someone down in the garage to visually monitor his movements. He probably hacked the system already. I'll follow the troops in my Porsche. Send out six cars with only one man. He'll believe they are all doubled up because that's what he expects. Tank, I want you in the elevator on the garage level. Once he hits the stairs, I want you to give him a three minute head start before following and sealing ALL exits. We'll but the elevator on emergency access only, which we will key in. He won't be able to move it with the fob. We'll have him trapped on seven. I'll take the elevator up to seven and then go into the apartment. We are going to nail this SOB once and for all. I'll have is badge for this."

While I was planning, Tank was coordinating. Everyone was already in place to leave. I gave the order to head out. The first two cars were double occupied, so he probably would stop paying attention after that. I give it a minute before I speed out in my Turbo. I look in the rearview mirror and see him sneak into the garage on foot. "He's in-house." I go around the block and wait until I hear Cal's voice. "He's in the stairwell. I park my car in front of the building and enter through the lobby. I take the elevator up to seven and wait for him to get into the apartment. I hear the door open and close. I exit the elevator and give him two minutes before I enter the apartment myself. I'm about to open the door and Tank is by my side. I nod and we enter. We head straight back while clearing all the rooms on our way. I hear Stephanie stir and her moan "Carlos, is that you?" I can't see what he's doing, but I think he's touching her. I feel my blood start to boil. "You know we can't do this for two weeks. Doctor's orders." I hear a say. Then I hear the sound that makes my heart stop. I hear a gun cock, then a voice. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

I go into the bedroom with my gun drawn in time to see Hector take the syringe out of Morelli's hand while placing a cuff on the same hand. Miguel has the pistol against his temple until Hector finishes cuffing Morelli. They pick him up and drag him towards me.

"Take him to holding cell one. Tank, call it in. And make sure to call the police chief. Hector, search him." Stephanie starts to wake up. "OUT." They all leave. I go over Stephanie and sit next to her until she fully wakes up.

She opens her eyes and looks at me. I see a smile come on her face. "Well, to what do I owe this pleasure of waking up to see you here?"

"How are you feeling, Babe?"

"Tired."

"Morelli was here, in HQ, and in this room."

"What?" She sat up. "How did he get in here?"

"I have him in a holding cell downstairs. The police are coming. He's going to lose his badge. The team is going to debrief in a few, but I have to handle a problem at Senator Juniak's home. I think Morelli was behind it. I'm waiting for Monica to get here to stay with you. I will fill you in on all of the events of tonight then. Please don't ask Monica. I want to be with you when you hear. I should be back within the hour."

She starts to protest. "Stephanie, please. I need to decompress myself. I can't go through this now with you. This day has been hell. I don't want you getting upset. I love you." I kiss her, much more deeply than I intended. I start to run my hands down her back and then under t-shirt she's wearing. She's moaning, and I feel myself getting hard. I pull away. "We can't do this, Babe. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you."

I see her trying to catch her breath. "It's okay. We both know that this will be a difficult two weeks."

I heard the door open and then the voice "Ranger, Stephanie, are you in here?" It was Monica. At least she has the courtesy to announce herself. "Let me go get her."

"Monica were in the bedroom." I walk out and meet her in the hallway. "Do not, under any circumstances, tell Stephanie what happened with Morelli. I want to be with her when she hears all of the details when we debrief. That's a direct order."

"Understand." We both walk back into the bedroom. "Steph, I'm leaving now. But you'll hear everything in one hour. I've already ordered Monica not to tell you, so don't ask. She won't cave." With that, I give Stephanie a much gentler, but no less passionate, kiss.

"Be safe, Carlos," Stephanie says as I walk out of the room.

 **Stephanie's POV**

"You're still here?" I ask Monica.

"No, I went home but got called back in. I left about nine thirty."

"You won't tell me?"

"No. I won't. I will never disobey a direct order, and I would never do anything to hurt Carlos."

"Carlos?"

Monica sighs, "Damn, sorry Steph, but when I met Ranger, he was Carlos. He protected me from Ranger school and never disrespected me. He went up against our CO when they excluded me from the team because of my gender. The night before graduation, we all went out to celebrate. That was the day I found out I would never become a Ranger, even though I was second in our class. I wasn't really in the celebratory mood, but I went hoping to have a chance with Carlos.

Most of the other guys hooked up with someone before midnight. Carlos and two others were hold outs. The other two were married, so they were just there to support the rest. Carlos kept deflecting any advances, and I knew he did it out of respect for me. I flirted with him, touched him, and he ignored me. I knew that he didn't feel about me the same way I felt about him. I also realized, that as much as I thought I wanted it, he would never make me a one-night stand. He wouldn't hurt me that way. But, there was this one chick who wouldn't let up and kept her eyes on him all night. She had these big boobs and big hair. She looked so desperate. She was actually making me annoyed. Carlos seemed to be getting interested. He knew they were being sent out on their first post-school training mission in two days, and I know he needed a release. So I left the bar and went back to base. The other two married guys gave me a ride back. A few hours later, Carlos checked up on me in the women's barrack to make sure I got in okay. I asked him if he went home with her. He said yes. He left the room and I cried myself to sleep that night, because I knew he could never love me. Up until today, I never thought about that night. The thing that I think hurt the most was that I didn't understand what he saw in her. I mean, she had big boobs, but she kind of looked like Betty Boop."

"Do you still love him?" I ask. I need to know before I can indeed accept her.

"Honestly, I love him like a brother, and I think that looking back that was the way I loved him then. It was hard for me being around all these good looking men back then who didn't want me to be their partner nor in their bed. I couldn't sleep around, so I was the most sexually frustrated person in Ranger school, which helped to push me."

"Who was first?"

She looks and me and laughs, "Who do you think? Carlos of course."

I was processing what she told me. I'm glad she gave me this background. And to be honest, I didn't mind her calling him Carlos. It allowed me to learn something of him before he changed as a result of his Ranger years. "You can call him Carlos, as long as he doesn't mind. I'm glad you gave me your history together and were honest. I know I don't have to worry about you. I also know you love Bobby and he loves you, and you better get your act together before you both regret it. I'm talking from experience here."

"Carlos told me the same thing when he asked me to transfer here to Trenton. I took the offer."

"That's great! You know, after I have these kids and get back to work, you can be my partner."

"That's what Carlos wants as well. He thinks I'll do a better job training you than the guys."

"You probably will. You'll understand PMS and cravings for donuts and fast food." I laugh. Then suddenly, something she said jumped out at me. "You said that the girl from that night in Georgia looked like Betty Boop, right?" I paused before going on, "Do you think you'd recognize her if you saw a picture of her?"

"Why?"

"I don't know, but my Spidey sense is tingling." I wait a moment. "Please go to the office and get the laptop for me."

She gets up and goes to the office. She brings me the laptop. I open it up and pull up a picture of Connie from high school. I show Monica the picture.

"OMG! That's her, that's Betty Boop."

I smile and pick up my phone. I call Carlos. "Babe, this better be good."

"It is, I think I know why Connie wants me out of the picture. You need to get back here ASAP. I'll do some digging until you get here." I hang up.

Monica looks at me and is apparently confused. "Do you mind cluing me in?"

"I've identified Betty Boop. I just need to find the trigger now."

I started looking into Connie's life. I got access to her medical records, and that's where I found the most exciting piece of information. "Monica, when did you graduate Ranger school?"

"November 2007."

"Got it. I love these search programs." With that, my phone rang. "Babe, I'm five minutes out. Do you want me to meet you on seven or in the conference room?"

"Conference room." I hung up. "Monica, we're heading downstairs."

I got up and went to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror. Eeek! My hair! I threw it up in a ponytail. I changed from my boxers to yoga pants and put my bra back on. The Monica and I went down to five. "Monica, if you are going to be my partner, you have to let me know when my hair looks like I stuck my hand in an electrical outlet."

We beat Ranger to the room by about a minute.


	18. Chapter 18--Joe's Reason

Chapter 18—Joe's Reason

Carlos enters the room and comes over to me. He takes my hand and sits in front of me so that our knees are touching. "I know you want to full story of what happened tonight, and I will give it to you, but it's going to have to wait a little longer. We have a short time frame that the Senator bought for us before we have to turn Morelli over to TPD. I'll give you a summary of events, but I promise, you'll hear every detail if you want to hear it."

I could tell that he wants to do more than hold my hands. I know that he wants me in his arms. I need that too, but we are trying to limit our PDAs. "Fine. I want to talk to Morelli, anyway. Give me Cliff's Notes version."

"Apparently, Morelli couldn't wait until tomorrow night to get the key fob from Monica. He was waiting in her house when she got home. She didn't know he was there, and became suspicious when she saw him leave his house from the backdoor and walk towards the block behind him. She saw that he had her key fob and called it in. This was about 9:30 tonight. I had stopped up on seven at nine and you were still out cold. While I was up there, I got a call from Tank to come down to control. I came down here and found out that someone broke into Senator Juniak's home this evening. He was there with his grandkids. While that call came in, Monica called me to tell me what happened. We concluded that Morelli was coming tonight. I didn't want to wake you, but in order to ensure that Morelli would get in here, I had to make sure he saw me leave HQ. Hector and Miguel went up to seven to cover you. We sent eight cars, plus me, to what he presumed was the Senator's home. In reality, Bobby and Lester went to get Monica and Vince and Ryan when to the Senator's. The rest of us circled around and parked outside the garage until we got word that Morelli was in the stairwell. Tank followed him up, sealing all the exits on the way. I went in the elevator and secured it for pin access only. He was trapped up on seven. We had other men securing the other floors. He went into seven and into the bedroom where you were sleeping." He started to squeeze my hands and I could tell he was in pain. Miguel continued from there.

"He walked over to the bed. I was in the bathroom and Hector was in the closet, he couldn't see us, but we could see him. He knelt down next to you. He kissed you. You stirred and thought it was Ranger. He started to touch you; you said other things than Hector saw the syringe in his hand. He had it against your arm, ready to inject you. Hector came out of the closet and me out of the bathroom. I pressed my gun to his temple while Hector got the syringe and cuffed him. Carlos walked into the room when I had my gun on him. Then we dragged him out and brought him into holding."

I paled. Morelli got into HQ. The place where I have always felt safest and more secure was broken in to by my ex-boyfriend. It occurred to be that if Monica didn't see Morelli leave, I would have been alone, in bed, sleeping, and God knows what would have happened to me.

I turn to Carlos. "You left me alone when I was sleeping, knowing that Morelli was on his way up to seven. You FUCKING left the building! You didn't even have the decency to wake me and tell me what was happening, or have someone else tell me?" I pulled my hands away from his and got up. I was angry.

"Babe, I didn't have time. We need to put the plan together in 10 minutes. It all happened too fast."

"Stephanie, Ranger wanted to be up with you, he didn't want to leave you alone. He wanted you to sleep because you probably had the second worst day of your life. You were in the hospital a few hours ago because you thought you had a miscarriage. You were ordered on bed rest. You were sleeping, which we all know your body needs right now. Cut him some slack, Stephanie. We are all trying to protect you. Hector and Miguel were in position on seven before the first car left the garage. You were covered and safe." Tank's words shocked me, he never spoke to me like that before. "Steph, Ranger has put together missions all over the world and is the best at making sure that the target is taken out and that all involved are safe. You have to stop guessing him every time he makes a decision regarding your safety that doesn't fit what YOU think he should do. Otherwise, he's going to start to second guess himself and will one day, get someone killed. Do you realize how much it was killing him not to be the person in the apartment with you? Did you ever pause to think how he feels? Or are you only concerned with yourself and your own feelings of inadequacy? You are a valued and respected member of RangeMan both as a team member and as family. Each and every person in this building would take a bullet for you, not because you are Ranger's fiancé, but because you are Stephanie and we all love you. Now cut the crap and stay focused."

I was stunned into silence. All eyes were going back and forth from Tank to Ranger to me. I didn't know what to say or how to act. But everything that Tank said was true. Any time that I ever followed Carlos's directives, I was never hurt. I got hurt when I decided not to listen and do my own thing. I was too stubborn for my own good. Nobody ever said I did anything right until these men came into my life and I constantly put their lives in danger because I don't listen and I don't think. I get up and walk out of the room. I will not break down in front of them. I walk into Carlos's office, close the door, and lean against the wall before collapsing to the floor and sobbing.

 **Carlos's POV**

"Tank, that was out of line. You had no right to talk to Stephanie like that." I was so angry with him. In all the years I've known him, I have never wanted to punch as I do now.

"Well, Ranger, someone had to tell her, and you certainly are not going to. I understand that she is your fiancé and I understand that you love her, but if you plan on letting her work here, you need to separate the 'employee' Stephanie from the 'fiancé' Stephanie. You let her get away with too much. You let her constantly question you and your decisions, and some of those decisions have put your life, one of our lives, or _her_ life on the line. It needs to stop. You put up with her yelling at you in from of your employees. Does she have that much power over you that you accept that from her? What she says to you when you are in your apartment or behind closed doors in none of my business nor anyone else's, but if she does it in front of your employees, it becomes my business."

"Tank, you are walking a very thin rope."

"ME! What about her. If I yelled at you, or if Monica or Bobby, or Lester, we'd be ordered to the mats, or ordered out of the building. She yells at you and put your tail between your legs and don't say anything. Now, I have no problem with apologizing to Stephanie for saying those things in front of everyone, but I will not apologize for the words I said."

"Boss, Tank is right. You and Stephanie may not want to hear it, but he is right." Lester added.

Monica comes over to me and sits across from me. "Do you remember when we did that mission in school, and you wanted me to cover the team from the tree? But I thought that I would be better for me to be on the ground." I shook my head and smiled at that memory. "I didn't listen and fought you, and you eventually caved to shut me up and to teach me a lesson. We lost that mission, the only one you ever lost in school. You wanted me in the tree because I was the best climber, and one who could hide in the tree the easiest, and the best shooter on the team. Instead, what's his name went up and go taken out inside two minutes, and we were doomed."

"Yes, Monica, I remember that."

"Well, afterward, I yelled at you and blamed you for coming up with a horrible strategy. I felt you did that on purpose because I was close to taking over the top spot from you. You, of course, was the last one standing on our team and earned top marks for the losers, and I was second to last one. I thought you wanted me out first. But, you told me that if I had been in the tree, I would not have been spotted so quickly, and I would have taken out at least half of the other team before they found my position. Then, you proceeded to tell me that if I ever questioned your authority again when we were teamed together, you would make sure that would be the last time we were ever teamed together."

I was getting frustrated. Why all the code. "What's your point, Monica?"

"You need to tell that to Stephanie. She may rant and rave, but when she calms down, she'll see that you are right. Now go and find her, we have less than thirty minutes before TPD comes and takes Morelli."

I look at Tank and walk over to him. I pat him on the shoulder, but can't say the word. "It's okay Boss, I know." With that, I go looking for Stephanie. I walk past my office and hear her sobbing. I open up the door, close it, and sit down next to her. "Babe, I know the next few sentences out of my mouth you won't want to hear, but I have to say them." She glares at me. "Stephanie, Tank is right. You cannot talk to me like that when we are in the business areas of RangeMan or conducting official RangeMan business. You undermined my authority with my men, and I am too much in love with you to shut you down like you deserve. Your safety and well-being is first and foremost to everything else always. If you want to yell me, tell me am an ass or that I'm stupid, do it on seven when we are alone. When we are working together, you are my employee and I am your Boss. When we are on seven or alone, I know that you are the boss of me. You embarrassed me in front of my men, and I know Tank embarrassed you. He would like to apologize for telling you in front of everyone, but he does not apologize for what he said."

"I know he is right, and I am sorry. I'm an emotional mess right now. I know that you would never put me in harm's way that you always have me covered. It was a slap in the face, but I needed it. Now, I need to go and talk to Morelli, but I don't want him to see me with my red, puffy eyes."

"Babe, you don't have a choice. We have 20 minutes."

"Okay, but I want Monica in with me, not you. If you come in, he'll attack us verbally, and I want answers."

"I'll be right outside. If you want me, just look at the door, and I'll come in."

 **Stephanie's POV**

We take the elevator down to the holding cells on two. I get out, and Tank is there. I walk over to him, stand on my tip toes, and kiss him on his cheek. "Thank you, and you were right. You don't need to apologize." I say into his ear. He nods, and I go the door. I look in at Joe. He his is still cuffed and he's in leg shackles. I look at Monica, "I want you to come in with me. You need to keep us focused on getting answers. He'll try to put our skills in the bedroom against each other, and he'll insinuate that you've slept your way into you position here. We need to let it go and get him to tell us why he set me up and try to figure out what Connie has on him."

"Are you sure you don't want Ranger in there?"

"No, he's expecting that, and he's been preparing for that. Me going in without you will keep him off guard." I look at her. "Ranger says you are almost as good as he is, so I know you will protect me."

"He's wrong; I'm better than he is because I never think my vagina." I laugh.

I enter the room first. I told Monica to give me a couple of minutes alone with him. "Joe, why? Why did you help Connie to set me up? I though you loved me. I thought you wanted me to be your wife and the mother of your children. If you do, then why did you let Gonzalez rape me?"

"Cupcake, I still want that from you. I still want you to be my wife, and I wish those babies you are carrying were mine. I was planning on taking you away with me."

"How?"

"I was ready to drug you. I was all set to carry you out from under Ranger's nose and out of his life. I was planning on taking you Canada, where we would live."

"And what about my babies, you were going to tell them that they were yours? That you are their biological father?"

"No, Cupcake, I was going to get rid of them. I have, well, I had, the drugs that are used for medical abortions. I was going to give you them, and you would have a miscarriage, or at least think you did. After your visit to the hospital today, you would be more likely to believe that's what happened. Then, while you were dealing with it, I'd get you pregnant with _my_ child. Then Manoso would be out of your life forever."

I couldn't believe he said that to me. I couldn't believe he was planning on killing my innocent, unborn babies, babies conceived in love. At that moment Monica walked in. She switched her shirt to something more revealing.

"Hello, Joe. Fancy seeing you here."

"You think you such a hot shot. I knew you were Manoso from the start. You played right into my hand. You had no clue I was in your house tonight when you got home. I should've cuffed you to your shower rod as I did to Stephanie. Then, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Joe, you couldn't get cuffs on me if you tried. I have skills that you could never have. The only person I ever met who is better than me is right outside that door."

"Who, Manoso? He's not that good."

"No, he's better than good, he's the best."

"Whatever. But I know I'm better in the bedroom than Manoso is. That's why Cupcake here kept coming back to me."

I ignored his taunt. I was expecting it. "Why are you working with Connie?"

"Because Connie wants Ranger to herself and you are in the way. I want you and Ranger is in the way. It's a win-win situation."

"Why does Connie want Ranger?"

"I don't know why. I don't care why. I just want you."

"Did my mom know that you made sure I would be alone when I went after Gonzalez?"

"It was her idea to use Gonzalez. It was her idea to have him tell you that Ranger set you up so he could get you out of his life. You would have come running back to me, and then we would have been married."

"So you had no problem with your future wife being raped?"

"Cupcake, you say no all the time and never mean it. I know where to touch you, so your no turns to a yes. I know how to make you beg for it. Whenever I wanted you, I had you. Even when you were 'done,' I still was able to have you again. You are a tease, and have been since you were six."

I finally understood what Carlos said about Joe raping me over and over again. He did take away my choice. "Okay, so let me get this straight, you had repeatedly raped me, starting when I was sixteen and thought it was okay. Then, you set me up to be violently raped, so that you could make me hate Ranger and marry you. And now, tonight, you tried to kidnap me, was planning on aborting my pregnancy, and forcing me to marry you and have your child. Is that correct?"

"Yup, it's all correct."

"Joseph Anthony Morelli, you are scum, you are an asshole, and you are the lowest of the low. I fucking hate you, and I hope that you rot in jail for the rest of your natural life. I hope your boys enjoy getting serviced in prison because they will never have a woman again." I get up, and so does Monica. We start heading for the door. I let Monica walk before me. As we were walking to the door, inspiration struck. "So Monica, did I ever tell you about the time Carlos and I were in Hawaii?"

"No." She paused and understood where I was heading. She stopped walking and looked at me. "Do tell."

"Well, we spend almost a week together in a private cottage on the ocean. We spend about 75% of that time engaged in games for two if you know what I mean. We only took breaks to eat food and sleep. I wasn't able to walk for at least three days after. I'm telling you, that man can go for days and never run out of steam. And, even when I thought I couldn't have any more orgasms, he gave me another one. Since then, I could only have an orgasm with Carlos."

"You lying slut."

"Oh, I forgot you were here. I just want to let you know I'm so good at faking it. You pale as a man in comparison to Carlos. At least I found that out before I settled for second best."

Monica and I left the room. The guys were looking anywhere but at me, and Carlos just shook his head. "Well, it's true," is all I said before I walked to the elevator. I'm beaten. I'm going to bed. You can fill me in tomorrow."

I got on the elevator and used my key fob to take me home to seven. Before the door closed, Carlos came on with me.

"I'm coming up with you. I don't need to be here when TPD takes Joe away. Tank has it covered." When the doors open on seven, he continues. "Did you mean what you said about Hawaii and after?"

"You were there, did I lie about our activities?"

"But it was that good for you or were you just saying it to piss off Morelli?"

"Carlos, you once told me that you would ruin me for all other men. Then, you told me that if you put your mind to it, you could make me forget Joe Morelli. Well, you've succeeded."

I walk into our bedroom and take off the yoga pants and my bra. I go and brush my teeth and wash my face. I collapse on the bed, and I am back asleep in seconds.

" _Come on Cupcake; I'm not done yet."_

" _Joe, I'm tired. It's late, and I want to go to sleep."_

" _I haven't seen you almost a week. We only got in two rounds. I need one more." He starts to kiss my breasts and puts his fingers inside me. "Come on, Cupcake, you know you want another round."_

" _Joe, I'm done. Please stop." I try to push he away, but he's holding me down. He was rubbing THE spot. Maybe this isn't such a bad idea. No, I'm tired. He needs to stop. Who knows how much longer it will take for Joe to be satisfied, and I try to make him stop once again. "Joe, I'm done, please stop."_

" _Cupcake, I know you like this. You're getting all ready for me. Tell me; you don't like this."_

" _Joe, you know I do but…"_

" _Then stop complaining." His mouth is on mine, and he's stopping my verbal protests with is kiss. He climbs on top of me and enters me. I don't want to, but I might as well just let him finish, then I can go to sleep. "Cupcake, I'm almost there. Are you?"_

" _Yes, almost there." I lie. I start to moan and make him think that I'm enjoying this, but I'm not. Then he wonders why I keep my apartment. He finally finishes and gets off me. I turn so my back is towards him and roll over to go to sleep. I wake up to his arms around my waist and chest. On hand in cupping me and fingering me, the other is playing with my nipple. He's trying to put his thing in my butt. "Joe, stop, you know I don't like that."_

" _Stop being such a prude. How do you know you don't like it if you never tried it?" He gets it inside. I cry out in pain. "Joe, stop, it hurts." He doesn't listen. He continues to do what he's doing. The way he's holding me, I can't move my arms. I try to move away, but he just pushes me back against him and he goes further in. I hold back my tears. Damn him, he knows just were to touch me to drive me crazy. I hate what he's doing but my body is telling him different because he's touching "the spot" again. I don't want to have an orgasm, but I'm going to anyway. Now he'll always try to do this to me. We both peak together. He pushes me on my back and gets on top of me. "I think I have time for one more round, Cupcake." With that, his phone rings. He picks it up. He hangs up and says "I guess we'll just have to resume this tonight. I have to go in. I'm going to take a shower." I roll over. The clock says four. I go back to sleep and think that this had to be a dream._

I wake up hysterical and sick. I jump out of bed and into the bathroom. Carlos comes in and finds me, once again, sitting with my head on the toilet. "You okay, Babe?"

"No."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Was it a flashback?"

"Yes."

"Gonzalez?"

"No, Morelli."

He helps me up and hands me my toothbrush. After I finish, we go back into bed. He sits with his back to the headboard and puts a pillow behind him. He invites me to sit between his legs. I put my right arm around his neck and bury my head in his chest while I curl up into a ball. He just holds me. We sit there in silence for a while. Finally, I'm ready to talk.

"I had a flashback to the first time Joe, and I were together again after Hawaii. He must have still been mad at me because he wasn't gentle, but I did enjoy it, at first. After we went two rounds, I was done. I just wanted to go to sleep. He apparently wasn't done yet." I told Carlos the details of my dream. When I finished, he was quiet for a few minutes.

"Babe, you mean to tell me that he forced you to have sex with him twice in one night. Both time you said no, and both times he didn't listen. And he forced you into a position that you didn't want on top of it."

"Well, yes and no. I mean, I did end up having an orgasm the second time, and I could've stop Joe if I tried."

"Stop trying to justify what he did to you. Stephanie, that man, who claimed, and still claims, to love you raped you while you were in a relationship, where you did have consensual sex often. He didn't need to force you."

Carlos suddenly changed our positions to match what I describe for the second time. "I this how he was holding you?"

"Yes."

"Steph, try to get out of this hold now." I tried, but no matter how I moved I could get out of the hold. "He knew you would never get out. That's why he held you like this." Then, he had me on my back. Again, he was trying to repeat how Joe was holding me. "Try to get up." I tried, but again I couldn't because if I moved my lower half, his hand would have been inside me, and he was putting a good portion of his weight on my chest. "Once again, you could get away if you wanted. He's a predator who know who to keep a woman from getting away. He makes you think because your body is reaction to his stimulation that you are enjoying it. And yes, maybe you did have an orgasm, but did you want it? No."

He let me up and got off the bed. "Babe, I'm am so upset with you right now. You kept going back to that abuse over and over again. He obviously took your choice away, and you kept returning to his bed." He sighed, "Tell me, over the years, how many times have you wanted to make love to me."

"I don't know. I lost count." He looks at me. "Almost every time you would give me one of those amazing kisses. Those times when I woke up on top of you when we almost gave in and then got interrupted. Every time I stopped you I wanted you, but I could do it."

"Why?"

"Because I was kind of, sort of dating Morelli and I felt guilty."

"Did I ever force you to make love to me against your will?"

"Well, the first time." He cut me off, "Babe." I sighed, "No. If I asked you to stop, you always did. You may have said are you sure, but if I said no, you never pushed me."

"Steph, I need to ask you this next question. Please answer me honestly, and I promise I will never bring this up to you again. Why did you keep going back to Morelli when he obviously didn't respect you and didn't love you when you could have had me?"

"Why, Carlos? I'll tell you why. Because you always said that you were not open to a relationship. That you couldn't get emotionally involved with anyone, including me. I didn't want to just be 'friends with benefits.' I wanted to be you lover and your girlfriend. I wanted a committed relationship with you. I didn't care about the no marriage thing. I wasn't sold on being married again. But I wanted the relationship beyond the booty call." I paused, "If you had ever ONCE said that you'd have a real relationship with me, I would have left Morelli in a heartbeat, and I would have gladly been your woman." I paused and looked at him. "You told me you carried two guns and a knife, you said, after our first time together that here was no price for what we give each other, not ever, not financial, not emotional, and you said you couldn't give me anymore. Why did you keep on pushing me away?"

"Because I thought I was protecting you, Babe."

"Well, you were wrong." With that he lifted me to my feet and gave the mother of all kisses, it was passionate, it was intimate, and it was full of love. "Steph, I'm sorry. If I ever even had a hint of what Morelli was truly like, I never would have pushed you back to him. I would have made you see him for who he is sooner. Can you ever forgive me for all the stupid things and I said and did to you?"

"Yes, if you can forgive me for not following my heart sooner and telling you how I feel."

"We need get back to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."


	19. Chapter 19--Spidey Sense

Chapter 19—Spidey Sense

Carlos and I woke up at seven, but I didn't get down to the conference room until eleven. We quickly got ready because there was a lot to do. At eight, I was meeting with Dr. H. He was available for as long as I needed him. I told him everything that happened in the last 48 hours. He was surprised at how well I was handling everything. We agreed to meet again tomorrow.

I walk the Dr. to the lobby and get ready to go up to the conference room. Suddenly, I hear my name. "Hey Stephanie, we have to talk to you." I turn to see Vinnie and Harry the Hammer walk towards me. Uh oh, this isn't going to be good. I tell Vince to let Ranger know we are on our way up. We the elevators open, Ranger is waiting for us. We walk into his office. He offers me the seat behind his desk and lets Vinnie and Harry sit across from me. He stands behind me. "What's wrong, Vinnie?"

"I don't know where to begin. I go into the office this morning, and Connie isn't there. I figure she's at the station bonding someone out. I'm not overly concerned. The window cleaning service comes in for payment. I go to get the $40 out of the petty cash, and there is no petty cash. I pay them from my pocket, and they go. I start to look in Connie's desk, and all her stuff is gone. I call her house, and no one is home. I call her cell, and she doesn't answer. I decide to call the station. I get the chief. The chief then tells me that he is surprised that I wrote the bond on Morelli. He didn't think that I would bond him out after what he did to Stephanie last night. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I asked, and he told me what happened. Apparently, the judge's godmother is Bella, so he gave Joe a high bond and not remand, which the DA asked for to secure Morelli. Connie was up there twenty minutes later with Angie Morelli bonding out Joe. They have both disappeared."

"How did Connie know to go there? Wouldn't Joe call you?"

"Well, the last time, Angie called me. This time, he must have called Connie directly. No call ever came to me last night. I had no intentions of writing a bond on Joe Morelli. Edna's going to kill me."

"Never mind Edna. Do you know where Connie would go?"

"Ranger, I have no clue."

Harry finally talks. "Ranger, since you came to us with this situation, I've been reaching out to my contacts in the other families. Grizzoli says that Morelli is a persona non grata. He wasn't very nice to Terry, and she kicked him to the curb for good. She said she had enough of playing mistress to a woman who didn't love Joe and if Joe didn't propose to Terry, she was gone, and the protection of her uncle was gone too. He chose Stephanie. Ramos has no use for Morelli, especially because Morelli hurt Stephanie. If it weren't for the fact that Stephanie is now engaged to you, Ranger, he would have had Morelli out of the picture already. I have never had any use for any of the Morellis. They are all crazy. As far as Connie's family goes, they disowned her. The money went missing from her parent's bank account, and they traced it back to Connie. No one knows what's going on, except that for the last four months she's been obsessed with you, Ranger."

Finally, it all clicked in my head. What I had researched last night made perfect sense now. I must wait until we get into the conference room to tell Carlos.

"Morelli's court date is set for next Wednesday. Ranger, I'm going to ask you to go after him if he goes FTA." Vinnie added.

"That I will do with great pleasure," Ranger said to Vinnie. "Harry, thank you for all of your information. Stephanie and I appreciate everything you are doing for us. I won't forget it."

"Ranger, you have always been fair with me. You help Vinnie, and you've helped Stephanie. You have a good heart hidden beneath an icy veneer. Don't ever hesitate to ask me for help in the future. By the way, congratulations on your babies." He got up and hugged me and gave Carlos a handshake. Then he and Vinnie left. One of the new guys escorted them to the lobby.

"Babe, you look like the cat who swallowed the canary."

"We need to get to the conference room. I think I know what Connie's motivation is, and you aren't going to like it."

I start to get up, and he gently pushes me back into his chair. He puts his arms on the armrests and leans in to kiss me. "How many more days do we have to wait?"

"Hopefully only nine more days."

"Babe."

"Let's go, Carlos." He helps me to my feet, and we walk to the conference room. He places his hand on my back as we enter and guides me to the couch that has magically appeared there.

"So, Stephanie what did you discover?"

"Well," I look at Monica and then Carlos, he nods his head, "Carlos and Monica were in Ranger school together and became friends. On the night before graduation, the whole class went to a bar in Georgia to celebrate. Ranger met a woman there that night. The woman was Connie. When Monica describe what she looked like, I immediately put two and two together. I showed her a picture, and she recognized her. Ranger, this is a picture of her from about the time you first met." He looked at her picture and then I see the recognition.

"We went back to her hotel room. She was there visiting a friend or a cousin who was going to school in Georgia. She kept on hinting how we were perfect together. I spent about an hour and a half or two hours with her and left. I never really thought about that night. She meant nothing to me. I wouldn't even remember that much if it wasn't for the significance of that being the night before we graduated. I never recognized her."

"About four to five months ago, her cousin came to visit her. Her cousin stayed in Georgia after she finished school. She's the one who probably recognized Ranger. In July, eight months after her night with Ranger, she gave birth to a stillborn baby boy. She found out she was pregnant two months to the day after that night. The baby was healthy, according to all records. But, somehow, his umbilical cord got wrapped around his neck, and the doctor didn't know. She was in labor for five hours. The doctor thought he died about ten minutes before she delivered him. She had a bad delivery and was given a hysterectomy that same day. So, on a July day in 2008, not only did Connie lose her son, but she also lost any chance at ever becoming a mom."

Everyone in the room was surprised at what I said. "When Morelli called Connie to find out where I was before Gonzalez, she must have realized that I was here with Ranger. That is when all the anger and hate that she had probably reached its boiling point. Then, Connie finds out we're engaged. Now, any chance that she thought she had with Ranger is gone. She had to know that Morelli was planning on proposing to me. I just don't understand what she had on Morelli to make him comply."

"More bad news. Morelli was bonded out by Connie this morning. Both are MIA. The Trenton underground has no love for Morelli, so they aren't protecting him. Connie has been disowned by her family. No one knows where they are." Carlos told the room.

"They could be on their way to Canada. Morelli said that he was going to take me there. Maybe they went there to escape. He would have documentation ready to get them across the border."

"That could be, but we need to act as if they are still here in Trenton until we know for sure that they are not." Carlos looks at me. "Steph, we can't stay here. Morelli got in without the fob and got up to seven without it. Until we plug the holes, you are not safe here. RangeMan has a few safe houses. We need to move to one immediately. We'll move the bulk of this operation to the safehouse as well. We need to make sure Steph is in the loop every step of the way."

"Boss, when are we making a move?"

"We start this afternoon. Location SP. To start, we need Hector, Miguel, Bobby, Lester, and Monica. We'll adjust personnel as we need it. We'll start moving out at two."

He helps me off the couch, and we go up to seven. In the apartment, he fills me in. "After our time together in Hawaii, I purchased a house on the shore in Mantoloking. It is on the beach and is fully secured. All the windows are bulletproof glass. There are two guest houses so that the main house will be for us only. Everyone else can stay on the grounds as well. I know you love the ocean, and I bought it with you in mind. That's why its code name is SP. Maybe we can spend our summers with the kids there. I've also been looking for homes in Robbinsville and Princeton. If you want to live elsewhere, let me know. We don't have to stay in Jersey."

"You bought the house before you were sure if we would ever be a couple?"

"Yes. I always hoped. And I figured the next time you needed to stay with me for safe keeping I would bring you to the beach house to try and win you." He smirked.

"It would've worked."

"I took the liberty of asking Ella to pack some clothes for you. I know you don't have much that fits, but I was going to let you and Monica go shopping tomorrow. That will still happen, but Bobby and I will also tag along. Two couples out shopping together won't draw as much attention as two women and a man."

I looked at the clock. It was twelve thirty. "Do you mind if I lay down? I'm a little tired."

"Not at all. Do you want to stay on the couch or go to bed?"

"On the couch," I paused, "with you," I said softly.

Carlos got a blanket for me and sat in his spot on the couch and snuggled in next to him. He put the blanket over my legs and up to my waist. His hand settled on my belly, and I closed my eyes. "Babe, we're leaving in thirty. We have to get up."

I stretch and get up. I go to the bathroom and make sure I have my essentials. "Where's Rex?"

"Already in the car. Cal and Hal just took our stuff down."

We took the elevator to the garage. "I don't have a good feeling about this. My Spidey sense is going off. I think Morelli is out there waiting for us. We need a decoy, but I don't want anyone to get hurt or killed." I stop moving. "Which car are we taking?"

"You're Mercedes. Tank will bring my Turbo of Cayenne over in a few days."

"What decoy can you set up that will minimize risk to whoever is driving the car."

"Why, what do you think will happen?"

"A car accident of some sort. He's not stable. He doesn't care if you live or die or if these babies survive. All he wants is me. He'll make sure that I'm not seriously injured, but that's it."

Vince and Ram come over to us. "We'll go out in the Cayenne. I can put on a hat and push my seat back. I'm about Steph's height, and Ram is about your height and build. They'll want to see Stephanie and Ranger and they will. Once we spot their tail, we'll let you know then you can leave and go the opposite direction."

Carlos looks at me. He sees I'm not happy, but I understand this is the best way to go. I nod. "Okay. Steph, get a hoodie or one of your jackets out from your bag and give it to Vince." I find my Ranger's hoodie. At least it's a hockey team sweatshirt.

They get in the Cayenne and take off. They pick up the tail after five blocks. Carlos and I move out. We have two cars backing us up and two cars in the lead. So far, all is clear. Somehow, we make it halfway to the safe house before we get the news. Tank calls "Boss, Vince, and Ram, are in St. Francis. The car was t-boned by Morelli. Apparently, he was so pissed when he realized that Stephanie wasn't in the car he didn't think to leave. He is back in custody, and his bond revoked. Connie was in a car behind his, and we had her before the Cayenne blew up. She got lost in the chaos. The good news is that they don't know where you and the rest of the team are or where you are going."

"How are they, Tank?"

"Fine. Vince has a broken arm and Ram a broken leg. They both have cuts and bruises and a possible concussion."

"Thank God." I cross myself.

We pull up to the house, and my jaw drops. It isn't a house as much as an estate. I can't believe my own eyes. "This is yours?" I ask Carlos.

"No, Babe, it's ours. Everything I have is yours. It will be official once we're married, but in my mind, it's all ours." We pull through the gates and drive up to the front door. He opens it up, and seconds later, Bobby, Lester, Miguel, and Ranger go through and clear the house while Monica waits with me. Once they deem the house safe, Carlos gives me ten minutes to explore before resuming my bedrest. The living room and dining room are in the front of the house. Behind the dining room is the kitchen, where sliding doors lead to a deck and an in-ground pool. Beyond are the beach and ocean. Behind the living room is a den/office. That will be our new conference room. Upstairs there a master bedroom with a master bath that has a spa tub and shower. The bedroom overlooks the beach, and there is a balcony. There are three other bedrooms and two additional bathrooms. The last room is a private office.

I am looking out the door to the balcony when Carlos joins me. "You can sit outside if you want. No one could get a shot off unless they were on a boat." I notice that the house forms a U to our balcony, so someone would have to be in front of us to hurt us. I open the doors, and the smell of the ocean makes me feel very relaxed.

"Let's go downstairs and eat. Then we can just all relax for the night."

"Sounds good to me, Carlos."

A week has passed since we moved into the safe house. Morelli was remanded and not offered bail a second time. Today is his day in court. We will find out what formal charges he will be receiving, and the judge will set a date for trial. I still have two more days until I go back to my doctor to find out if I am off bed rest and if I am can resume all activities. It's been challenging for both Carlos and me, because neither one of us has control, especially since there is no more guilt on my end. We've been spending a lot of alone time kissing, which isn't helping, but we need that intimacy. I'd offered and tried to let Carlos at least have his release, but he refused. He said if I couldn't get a release, then neither would he. It wouldn't be fair otherwise. As promised, we went shopping last week, and I was able to get some maternity clothes, so I wasn't limited to wearing yoga pants and Carlo's t-shirts. Monica has been great. It's nice to have another woman around.

We need to go to Trenton for Morelli's court date. The prosecutor wants the judge to see me. I have to dress conservatively, and he recommends something that will accentuate my small bump. Monica and I look through my clothes and find a long sleeve, baby doll type shirt that will go well with the maternity leggings a bought. The shirt is long enough that it completely covers my backside, even when sitting, but makes me look more than three eleven weeks pregnant. I put my hair in a ponytail and limit the make-up. I have to appear to be the damsel in distress and not look like the Bombshell Bounty Hunter. I'm very apprehensive about going back to Trenton and seeing Morelli. I know that he can't hurt me, but I can't help but be concern about what he or Connie could have up their sleeve. Carlos is, of course, going with me, along with half of RangeMan. Carlos has gotten permission to go to court with his gun and knife, because of the threat that Morelli and Connie present to my well-being and the well-being of our unborn children. I have a feeling that Sen. Juniak has something to do with this "special permission."

Tank is driving one of the fleet vehicles with Bobby in the passenger seat. Carlos is next to me in the backseat. Monica is riding with Lester and Hector. We arrive at the courthouse. Carlos gets out of the car and reaches his hand to me. I take a deep breath and get out of the car. There are reporters everywhere. They are surrounding us and shouting out questions. Half of them are loyal to Morelli, being local news. The other half are just looking for ratings. "Is it true you are being brainwashed?" "Are those babies Morelli's?" "When did you give Morelli the key?"

Ranger guided me through the reports, with one hand on my back and the other hand pushing them away. Tank was clearing the way on my other side. Bobby and Lester stayed with the cars, and Monica had gone in ahead of us. Once we get inside, I opt for a pat-down instead of going through the metal detectors. We all get cleared and go to wait outside the courtroom for the bailiff to open the doors. About five minutes later, the doors are open. We go and side behind the prosecutor. He looks at me, and I can see he approves of my appearance. "Anything that you can do to seem legitimately scared or uncomfortable will go a long way to help our case." I nod. I don't have to pretend or act. I don't want to be here. I whisper to Carlos, "Something is wrong. I can feel it. Something bad is going to happen. Do we have to stay, can't we just leave?"

"Babe, we need to be here. We'll leave as soon as court is over and we'll go to Haywood before heading back to SP."

I can feel myself start to shake. I see the door open, and Morelli is lead into court by the correction officers. He's wearing a suit, which doesn't do much to help him because he looks like a casino pit boss. He looks at me and licks his lips. I try not to vomit. I move closer to Carlos. "Babe, any closer and you'd be on my lap." He takes my hand and feels how clammy I am. "Babe, relax. Breath. Everything is okay. You are safe." I close my eyes and try to concentrate on my breathing. Monica is suddenly next to me on the other side. She is taking my pulse. "Steph, you need to relax. Your heart rate is too high. You're going to hurt the babies. Relax." I close my eyes and think of the view from our bedroom. I picture the ocean. I feel myself calming down. "Much better Steph. Good job. Stay in the zone."

"All rise as the Honorable Judge Paul Rubins enters." I try to stand, but my legs are working. Carlos is practically holding me up. The judge says, "Please be seated." I look at Carlos. I can see he is concerned and worried about me. I know something bad is about to go down, I just don't know what it is. I'm not even listening to anything. Suddenly, Carlos is pulling me up. "Babe, it's over. He made a deal. He'll be in prison for ten years, loses his badge, and will serve in his time in Delaware."

I feel some relief, but I know something is still going to happen. "Stephanie, is it your Spidey-sense?" Tank asks.

"Yes. Since we got here, I have felt like something bad is going to happen. I feel like I'm going to be losing someone today. I can't shake the feeling. I don't see anyone, but I'm so petrified."

"What do you mean by 'lose someone'?" Monica asks.

"Someone is going to be killed. Someone I care about is going to die trying to protect me, and I can't stop it."

"Babe, everyone here will be fine."

"Carlos, please don't do anything stupid. I can't lose you after waiting so long. I need to grow old next to you. I need to make love with you a million more times. I need you to be in the delivery room with me when these babies make their appearance. Please, you have to come home with me. Promise me."

"I promise, mi amor. I'll go home with you."

"The front is all clear." Tank reports. We head to the door, and we step outside. Suddenly, I hear someone call my name. "Stephanie, over here." I recognize the voice. It takes me a minute to realize it. CONNIE. I try to step back into the courthouse, but then I hear the gunfire erupt around me. Before I know it, I'm on the ground and there is not one, but two people covering me with their bodies. I know one is Carlos. The other is Hector. I see the blood. Lots and lots of blood. It looks like both Carlos and Hector are hit. I can't tell who is bleeding. They both move off me. I look at their faces, and they are both pale. I try to find from where they are bleeding. Hector seems to be okay. He was hit in his leg and shoulder. Monica is next to Carlos. I see the blood coming from his chest. No, this can't be, this can't be happening. He can't be hurt. I see more blood, his leg. There's a lot of blood. The paramedics are there, and they are trying to help him. I can't tell what they are saying. I can't hear anything. I feel hands trying to lift me up. They belong to Tank. "Come on, Steph, you need to get in the ambulance. They need to check you out. Come on; he'll be okay."

Finally, I find my voice. "NO! I have to be with Carlos. I can't leave him. I'll ride with him."

One of the paramedics stops me. "You can't, no one can ride with him but medical personnel." I break away from his hold and run next to the stretcher. I grab his hand. "Carlos," his eyes are closed. He's lost consciousness. "Carlos, listen to me. I love you. I've always loved you. I've always wanted you and needed you. I need you to know that. Please don't leave me." The tears are falling, and I whisper in his ear, "I can't live with you. You die, and I'll be right behind you." I kiss him and let Tank carry me away.

He brings me to another ambulance and Monica gets in beside me. She's working the paramedics. They are trying to monitor the babies while getting me calm. They want to give me something to calm me down, but Monica won't allow it. "Just give her oxygen. No drugs."

By the time we reach St. Francis my heartrate is stabilized, but I'm still a disaster. No one has any update other than that he's in surgery. The waiting is the hardest part. Hector is okay. They were two clean shots through mostly muscle. No major arteries or veins hit. He'll stay overnight for observation. Finally, the doctor comes out to talk to us.


	20. Chapter 20--True Love

Chapter 20—True Love

I look at the doctor and move to stand up. Both Monica and Tank push me back down onto the couch. Monica is sitting to my right and Tank is standing on my left. They are both holding my hands. The doctor walks over to us.

"Are you the family of Mr. Manoso?"

I felt my head nod, but Tank spoke. "Yes, we are. What can you tell us?"

I was shaking. I was scared of what the next words out of the doctor's mouth would be. I was trying not to think the worse, but I couldn't shake the dread that was in the pit of my stomach.

"Mr. Manoso was shot twice. Once in the chest and once in his leg. He was fortunate that chest shot just nipped his lung. We had to repair the small break, but he won't have any major problems as a result of that injury. We got the bullet out. The leg shot was more problematic than the chest wound. The bullet went straight through but nipped a fairly large vein. Fortunately, his femoral artery was not hit. He has lost a considerable amount of blood, about 25-30%, and we are giving him a blood transfusion. We have him heavily sedated. He needs the rest to heal. He cannot have any visitors until he stabilizes more."

I finally let out the breath I was holding. I was relieved. "Doctor, I need to see Carlos. I can't wait any longer."

"I'm sorry, that's impossible."

Monica stood up and walked towards the doctor. "Doctor, I understand the protocol, but in my experience, no harm can come from Stephanie being in the room with Mr. Manoso. I was a medic in the Army, and I know having a loved one nearby can help the healing process."

"No, I'm not changing my mind or adjusting protocol."

Monica sighed, "Doctor, Ms. Plum is pregnant with twins, Mr. Manoso's children. She has been under an incredible amount of stress, and is in fact, still supposed to be on bedrest. She had to come out today for court and was supposed the head straight back home after court. Obviously, she couldn't do that. Her doctor and I are trying to keep her as calm as possible because we cannot give her any medications for risk of harming her babies. She is suffering from PTSD and is under the care of Dr. Hendrickson. I can call him and have him inform you of the risk that you are putting Stephanie in by not letting her see her fiancé. I have been monitoring her heart rate and she is struggling to keep it below 100 beats per minute. She is getting incredible stressed. You need to let her see Mr. Manoso, otherwise you can explain to him why he won't be a father come June."

I can see the doctor standing there weighing his options. Tank is reaching for his phone. "It's okay, Monica, I'll just call Mr. Manoso's attorney."

"Fine, I'll let Ms. Plum in, but if she interferes with his treatment, I will make sure that she will not be allowed in his room in the future."

"Thank you for understanding." Monica responses.

I jump up and the doctor escorts me to his room. I step into the doorway and see him hooked up to IVs and monitors. I watch him sleep. His leg is wrapped where he was injured and it's elevated. His chest is also wrapped. I walk over to the bed and take his hand in mine and start to rub it like he does to me. I bring his hand to my lips and kiss it. I then lean over a place a kiss on his lips. "I'm here, Carlos, I'm here with you. I am okay. I am safe. You are safe. I love you." I feel the tears start to fall. I wish that his hand would come up and wipe away the tears. I hear movement behind me. Tank is there with a sleep chair. He makes me sit. I look at Tank.

"Thank you. I don't know what pull you have or what influence we have here, but I don't want to leave his side until he gets discharged. I will not leave this room. I can't go home without him. SP is too far away, and I don't feel safe at Haywood without him there with me." I pause before repeating my next sentence. It is difficult for me to admit this to Carlos, but even harder to admit it to Tank. "I only sleep deeply when I'm in his arms, and I only sleep at all if he's near me."

Tank kneels down next me and turns my head towards him. He takes some tissues and wipes away my tears. "I know Ranger feels the same way and I know, if the situation were reversed, he would be saying the same to me. I don't know why it took the two of you so long to get your act together and just admit what the rest of us have known for a long time. You know, since that first time he met you, he started to change."

"Really? I wasn't sure he liked me. I thought he felt as if I was a crazy girl who got myself involved with something I didn't belong in."

Tank sat as if he was battling with himself. "Ranger would probably kill me if he finds out I told you what I'm about to tell you, but I think it's time you hear it." I was still holding Carlos's left hand in my own. I adjusted my chair, so I was as close to his bed as possible but looking at Tank. He cleared his throat and started to talk.

 **Tank's POV**

I watch Stephanie get closer to Ranger. She is still holding his hand and rubbing it. I see that she is calming down. Her breathing is slow and steady. She is starting to relax. She keeps glancing nervously at the monitor and at Ranger to make sure he's okay. I see so much love and concern in her eyes. It's like she's willing him to heal. I truly do think that if he didn't make it, Stephanie would join him soon. I have to remove that thought from my head, but until Connie is caught, both Ranger and Stephanie need their own bodyguards. Ranger won't like it, but I never want to see Stephanie look the way she did today again. I need to tell Stephanie the story of how she changed Ranger and just how soon I knew that he was completely and totally in love with her.

"Well, I was with Ranger when Connie called to tell him about you. He was frustrated that he would have to meet with some chick who thinks she can be a bounty hunter and who was going to go after a cop. And not just any cop, but Joe Morelli. Ranger knew his reputation as a ladies man, and felt that this was a disaster waiting to happen. He agreed to meet with you because he owed Connie a favor, but he was planning on telling you to snap out of it, go back to Macy's, and just get on with your life. He pictured you different in his mind. He pictured someone with short hair, short, and more manly looking. Someone who wasn't so feminine. When he saw you enter the dinner, he knew you were looking for someone, but he didn't think that you were looking for him. He was just thinking that whatever man was meeting you was one lucky bastard. Then, you walked over to him. He said that he had to help you, that you were like a lost puppy who need to prove that you could run with the big dogs. You knew you were so ill-prepared, you hated the idea of owning a gun, but you had this fire in your eyes and this determination. He said he agreed to be your Mr. Higgins." I pause and look at Stephanie. She has a smile on her face. I could tell she's picturing that first meeting.

"The best was the day after he went to your apartment in the middle of the night. He was frustrated, but also laughing. He said that you were such a contradiction. You had the foresight to take the distributor cap from Morelli's car that you 'stole', but yet he was able to cuff you to your shower rod, and naked mind you. He said you were obviously cold, because of course, Morelli being a jerk, didn't even have the decency to give you a towel. He said that when he saw you there, part of him wanted to take you to your bed while he had his way with you because from that first meeting he knew he was sexually attracted to you, but there was another part of him that wanted to protect you." I could tell that Steph was embarrassed but what I said, but it was too late for that.

"He always took your calls. He never ignored you. No matter what meeting he was in or who he was talking to, he took your calls. The only exception were the times when we were in the middle of a takedown. He started to track you during the Morelli incident. When you finally captured him in the back of the meat truck, he laughed like I hadn't seen him laugh in a long time. He said you were the only bounty hunter who would deliver a skip with the evidence that would have the charges dropped. When Jimmy Alpha attacked you, and had Ramirez there as well, that made him angry. He was sure that you were going to quit, and then you didn't."

"Stephanie, we've done a lot and have seen a lot during our time in the Army. A lot of it was dark. When you are around that darkness for so long, it makes you heart get dark, too. When your cars started to blow up and you apartment kept getting firebombed, it started to bring in light. It was never your fault, but yet it happened, and you would break down, get mad, and do it all over again. It was around the time of DeChooch that I realized just how much Ranger loved you. He told me about your deal." Steph looked stunned and started to get all red in the face. "He regretted making it the moment he did. He let his libido do the talking instead of his head. He was really hoping he would lose. He was hoping you wouldn't need him to take him in. But, you did, only because the skip was too proud to be taken in by a woman. We all had a good laugh over that. I'm not sure when he made you pay up your bet, but I know that he was scared and nervous about it." I saw a look of surprise on her face. "He desired you, badly. He never had problems being with a woman to satisfy his needs. He could 'love 'em and leave' better than anyone else. He was the master of the one night stand." I paused. "I asked him once what his problem was, why he did just screw you and be done. He said that he couldn't do that, he didn't know exactly why, but you weren't like the other women. As much as he just wanted to be with you and get it out of his system, he didn't think it was going to work. He told me that every time you were near each other, he felt a strong pull of desire, a need to be close to you, to touch you, to hold you, to kiss you. I knew then that he loved you."

"When you discovered Haywood and I saw you sneak into the building and then onto seven, I called him. I asked him what I should do. I was sure that he was going to order me to have you removed. But instead, he seemed amused. He said to let you stay and to keep an eye on you and what you were doing. To makes sure that if you switched out vehicles we had them tracked. He knew what was going on here and why you were hiding out, and he was glad that you felt safe in his apartment. I asked him what he was going to do when he returned, and he told me that he would figure it out when the time came. When he told me to clear an apartment on four for you after he returned, I knew you weren't going to stay there that night. I saw you go back up to seven. I knew then that you had strong feelings for Ranger. It wasn't until that time that you worked here after you quit bounty hunting that I realized that you loved Ranger. He was so happy. He was glad that he got to see you every day. He was happy to see you in his uniform. He was not thrilled that you were going back to Morelli every night. I know he would try to get you to stay whenever possible, but you were always so resistant. He hated having to work with Morelli to keep you safe. He felt that Morelli schedule as a cop made it impossible to keep you as safe as he could. He told me about Morelli walking in on you when he was staying with you during the Scrog incident. I don't think I ever laughed so hard." Stephanie was laughing as well, and I was glad to see a smile on her face. "Steph, when Scrog had both you and Julie, Ranger was besides himself, more so over you. No one, including me, wanted him to walk into your apartment. We all were afraid Scrog would take the head shot, where we couldn't protect him, but he said that he couldn't let Scrog hurt you. That he would never forgive himself if something happened to you. After he was shot, your reaction, your fear, I knew than that you were in love with Ranger, and that he was in love with you. Damn it, you two were so blind, so stubborn. I've been telling Ranger for nearly two and half years to let you know how he feels, every time you and Morelli broke up I told him to talk to you, but he just didn't. I don't know what happened in Hawaii, Ranger never shared anything other than Morelli arriving and you not getting the Rug, but he wouldn't say anything else. I know that he had a ring tan line, and so did you. I had hoped that being so far away from Jersey would allow him to finally express himself, but he didn't man up."

"Tank, Hawaii was a crazy week. I think that we were getting close to talking about our feelings and expressing how we felt. I think that if Morelli didn't arrive when he did, we would have talked about them. We were getting ready to go out to dinner, and I feel that something would have happened that night. Damn Morelli, I don't know what I ever saw in him." Stephanie shakes her head.

"Steph, Ranger will do anything for you and will give you anything you want. He loves you unconditionally." I pause, I don't think Ranger told her yet, but I feel she needs to know, "Steph, you own SP, it's in your name and Ranger's name. The property is not owned by RangeMan like Haywood and the other safe houses. It's Ranger's only personal property that I am aware of, and he put your name on it from the beginning. He said that if you ever married Morelli, he would give you the house as your wedding gift, before leaving Trenton and running Miami. If you and Morelli had gotten engaged, he would have confronted you to make sure that's was what your really wanted, and if you would have said yes, and he saw that you were truly happy, he would have left you alone. He wouldn't stay here in Trenton. He knew that he would never be able to completely let you go, and seeing you would be too much temptation, and he didn't want to ruin your marriage or life, so he would have given you up. But SP would always be yours. He would be happy knowing that you had a safe place to go to, a place where you wouldn't be harmed. The house, of course, is monitored by RangeMan, and he knew that you would keep it monitored. If you ever needed him, he would return, but you would have to ask for him."

"I think that if I ever accepted a proposal from Morelli, I would break it off if it meant that I would lose Ranger. I can't imagine life without him. I would want him here in Trenton. He is my best friend, and has been for a long time. I wouldn't let him run off so easily." Stephanie was shaking her head. "God, we were screwed up for so long. How did you guys put up with us?"

"We wouldn't let you marry Morelli. We would make sure that you would both admit your feelings to each other, even if we had to lock you both up together in one of the holding cells. We would let you leave until you were honest with each other. If that happened, and you still decided to be with Morelli, we'd let you go, but I can tell you, we would have a lot to say about it."

Monica walks into the room. "I have the paperwork. Stephanie is allowed to stay in the room as long as she wants. She is not going to be kicked out. We are allowed to keep a guard on the door. Once Ranger is awake and stable, we will be moving him to SP, and I will take over his care." I see Steph relax. She looks at Monica and I, and asked, "May I please be alone with Ranger?"

"Sure thing, Steph."

I get up to leave, but Monica stays behind.

 **Monica's POV**

Tank walks out of the room. I take his seat and look at Steph. "Steph, you know that his injuries are serious. He may not wake up for days. He is fighting, and his body needs rest. So does yours. I know you want to stay here with him, but it may not be in your best interest. You shouldn't be sleeping on a sleep chair. You need an actual bed. You need rest. Staying here is not going to help you."

"Monica, I need to be here with Carlos. I can't leave his side. I am so afraid that something bad will happen and I won't be able to get to him in time. I need to be here to say good-bye should he not make it." Her voice turned to a whisper, and she started to cry.

"Steph, I don't like how you are reacting, you are putting those babies in danger. If you keep them healthy, then you will always have a piece of Carlos. He will be alive in them. But if he doesn't make it, and you lose those babies, you will lose Carlos completely."

"Monica, I know Carlos knows I am here. I know that I can get him to fight if I am here. I don't want him to wake up, even for a moment, and think that I have abandoned him or left him. I want to be able to tell him I love him; I want him to know that I am here to comfort him as he has comforted me so many times before. I can't leave. I understand your concern, but without Carlos, there is no life for me. My heart my pump, and my brain may function, but I will be dead."

I sigh. I understand how Stephanie feels. I want to take away her pain, but I can't. As much as I don't want to leave her here, I know I must. "Fine, but you need to leave for at least a half hour three times a day for meals. Otherwise, I will have you taken back to SP, and you will not leave there. You don't have to leave the hospital, but you need to leave this room. If I feel that you aren't resting or that your heartrate is too elevated, I will take you out of here. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"I'm outside if you need me."

 **Stephanie's POV**

Finally, I'm alone with Carlos. I take his hand with both of mine. I kiss his hand. I lean over and move his hair off his forehead. I kiss him on his forehead, each cheek, his nose, and his lips as he's done to me a million times. "Mi amor, te quiero." I repeat the words I've heard him say to me. I whisper in his ear "Don't leave me alone. I finally have you all to myself, don't leave me. I can't live without you."

I'm exhausted. I know I need to sleep, but I can't sleep in this stupid chair. The nurse just came in to take his vitals. I know they won't be back for a while. I climb into the bed on his left side. His injuries are on his right. I place my head on his chest and curl up next to him and close my eyes, smelling the Bulgari lingering on his skin. "I love you, Carlos." I say before I go to sleep.

"This is what I was talking about; this is not healthy. Ms. Plum cannot stay here." I hear the doctor. I continue to pretend to sleep.

"She is not hurting Ranger, and she is not injured either. His numbers look good. When I left the room four hours ago, his blood pressure and heart rate were much higher. Medically, I understand your concern about infection, but it seems his body is healing faster with her near him." Monica tells the doctor.

"Look, I can tell you if the situation were reversed, he would be here as well. Probably not in the bed, but in the room and I know he wouldn't leave Steph's side." Tank added.

I hear someone else enter the room. I open my eyes a slit and see it's the nurse who was here before. "What were his stats when you were last here, Natalie?"

"BP was 145/110; heart rate was 90 bpm, oxygen was at 90." She stated after looking at the chart.

Monica replies, "BP is now 120/90, heart rate at 75 bpm, and oxygen up to 98. You want her to leave? You think that's the medical sound solution, doctor?"

The doctor sighs. "I guess you're right, but I still don't like it."

"How soon can he be released to my care?" Monica wants to know.

"Once he wakes up."

I suddenly feel something rubbing up against my arm. From the position of the something, I know realize that it's Carlos's hand. I open my eyes and look up at him. His eyes are starting to open. Suddenly, everyone else in the room stops talking and is looking at us. "Carlos, I love you."

"Babe" Is all he says. His voice is hoarse, and he looks confused. I slowly get up and get off of the bed and give him a gentle kiss on the lips. I grab his hand in mine. I have happy tears in my eyes, tears of joy. "You came back to me. You didn't leave me." I say to him.

"Never." He replies. The doctor immediately comes over and starts to check him out. He tells me I have to leave the room during the exam. I give Carlos one more kiss before walking out of the room. Once I get out, I start to sob. Tank wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly before I collapse on the floor. "Stephanie, he's okay. Relax."

"You don't understand, I thought he was gone. I thought I lost him forever. He was so cold, and it felt like he wasn't there anymore. His numbers started getting higher, I didn't know what to do. I was about to push the call button, but something made me stop. Something made me climb into that bed with him. I wanted to fall asleep in his arms one last time. I wanted to feel his body next to mine one last time. I needed and wanted him to know that I was with him, and that I needed him. I can't explain it, I just needed to be near Carlos."

"Steph, you know you and Ranger have a strange connection. He feels you often before he sees you. You have no idea how many times Ranger told us that you were near without looking at any trackers. We would be out on other business, and he would suddenly want to change direction because he said you needed him. Within minutes, the phone would ring and it would be either you or control calling to tell him your car blew up, your apartment was firebombed, or skip got away with your car. He senses when you are on the floor or coming near his office. You two are meant for each other."

I start to calm down and stop crying. "Let me find a bathroom. I don't want Carlos to see me with my eyes so red and puffy."

"Good luck with that, Steph."

I start to walk away, and my Spidey sense is going off. "We need to get back in that room. Something's not right."

Tank and I open the door and rush in. Monica is on the floor, the doctor is about to put something in Carlos's IV. Carlos is tied down and he looks over at me. Tank grabs the doctor and puts him in cuffs. I don't even know where the cuffs came from. I untie Carlos and run over to Monica. I feel for a pulse. She's still alive, but I think tranq-ed. Bobby rushes in and attends to Monica. I go to Carlos. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"The doctor and Monica were talking about me leaving. He told her that wasn't going to happen that he was not releasing me from his car. I started to protest and request to go home. He took a syringe out of his pocket and stabbed Monica with it. Then, he strapped down my right arm and then my left. I can't fight back in my current condition. He was getting ready to inject something into my IV, and you walked in."

"That's why he was so adamant about Stephanie not being allowed in here."

"But why? What is his motive? What is his connection to everything?" I ask.

"I don't know, but we need to get Ranger out of here asap."

Monica comes around and we fill her in. She grabs a syringe, glove, and some vials. She walks over to Carlos and immediate takes his blood. She takes all the samples and puts them in her pocket a second before another doctor walks in. It's the chief of staff. Monica talks to him and gets him to agree to discharge Carlos immediately into her care. Tank calls and hires a private ambulance to take Carlos to SP. I ride with him in the ambulance. It takes us about an hour to get there. Once we do, we get Carlos settled in out bedroom. Once Monica is confident that he is stable and resting, she leaves. I'm finally alone with him again. I'm exhausted. It has been a crappy, emotional two days. I barely slept. I climb into bed next to my Carlos. I give him a kiss that starts off gentle, but quickly turns more passionate. We both want more, but know we have to stop. "I love you, Carlos. I was so scared that I was going to lose you. I felt like you were leaving me at one point. That's why I climbed into bed with you. I wanted you to feel me next to you. I wanted you to know that I was with you." I tell him as I snuggle next to him and rest my head on his shoulder.

"Babe, I was surprised to find you in my arms when I woke up. I was confused. You know I love you." He paused. "This is very hard for me to admit because I don't know if I believe in it. But, I think I had an out of body experience. I felt like I was leaving my body. I felt like I was going away. I saw myself on that bed, with all the wires and other stuff hooked up. I saw you sitting there, holding my hand. I saw you recognize something was wrong, and reach for the panic button to the nurse. Then I saw your hand stop, and I saw you climb into the bed. I heard you say 'Mi amor, te quiero'. Don't leave me alone. I finally have you all to myself, don't leave me. I can't live without you.' Then I felt myself return to my body."

I propped my head up on my hand and elbow so I could see his eyes. "I believe you. I felt like you were next to me, but not where your body was. I can't describe what I felt, but I knew that whatever you chose, I would be next to you. I wanted to be in your arms one last time. If you didn't come back…" I trail off. It was the first time I admitted that I thought he was gone.

"When I felt you, I knew I needed to return. I felt your love. You ordered me to come back. I can't deny an order from you, Babe."

I settle my head back on his shoulder. I put my right hand on his wound and close my eyes.

I wake up and look at the clock. It's seven am. I have my doctor's appointment today. Tank, Bobby, and Lester were escorting me to the doctor's office. Ella was going to be meeting us there to go into the exam room with me. My doctor, Dr. Bindi, tells me the babies are doing great and I am off full bed rest, though I am still on modified. I have to spend at least 14 hours lying down a day, but the rest of the day I can be out and about, without over exerting myself. I ask about sex, even though Carlos won't be cleared for at least a month, but I need to know. He clears me for all activities. I make my next appointment, and we leave. I decided to take Ella to Pino's for lunch. We all arrive at Pino's and sit in a booth in the back. Ella across from me, with Bobby next to me, Lester next to Ella, and Tank on the end. I order a meatball sub along with the guys, and Ella orders a chicken Caesar salad. She looks at me when I order. "Mi hija, you need to watch what you eat. Some vegetables won't kill you."

"All I eat at SP is vegetables. I need carbs and meat. Please let me have one cheat meal. I'm still off dessert." I beg.

"Okay, fine. Just don't make it a habit, mi hija. I'm not there to monitor your meals." Suddenly, I see Tank tense, then Bobby. I look up and see why. Lula is in Pino's. I don't know why she's there. But Lula is. She walks over to our table.

"Hey Tank, my big boy, I miss ya." She says, "So glad to see you all. Steph, what are you doing here? You haven't been around Trenton in weeks."

"I came to visit Ella. I've been busy working." I could have sworn I heard Bobby say, "unlike you" under his breath. "You know, girl, the bond office isn't the same without you. And now that Connie's gone, I'm stuck in the office most of the day. Vinnie sends me out to get food, though, because he knows a big girl like me needs food."

"Well, tell Vinnie we say hi. We need to get going. I have lots to do." Tank gets up, and the guys start to move out. Lula seems annoyed. "Well, isn't this cold."

"Lula, I'm busy. I have a lot of work to do. I'm swamped and Ella has to get back to work too. See you soon."

We start to walk to the door when Carl Constanza and Big Dog come in and tell us to stay inside. They saw someone messing with my car and called it in. They think there's a bomb on it. "Damn it! Ranger's going to be pissed." Tank says.

"Tank, call HQ and have them send us cars around back. As close to the door as possible. One will take Ella back, and we need to get back to SP. We need to have a lot of vehicles. Connie has to be here." I tell Tank.


	21. Chapter 21--Now What?

Chapter 21

 **Tank POV**

I know what Steph is saying makes sense, and we have to get her out of here, but I'm not sure how to keep her covered getting into a car and then getting us back to Haywood or SP. If I let anything happen to her, Ranger will kill me. He didn't want her coming into Trenton, and it wasn't wise to stop at Pino's. We should have gone to Shorty's. Damn it. I call in the troops. I have everyone looking for Connie or anyone who looks suspicious. I need to try and get Steph in a car. We need a distraction, but I can't risk Ella, and Ella doesn't look like Steph anyway. We don't have enough women around. I look around Pino's and see a female cop who is about Stephanie's height and weight. I don't remember her name…Robin. That's her name. I go over to her. "Robin, do you have access to an extra uniform?"

"Yes, at the precinct. Why?"

"Can you get it and bring it back here? We need to get Stephanie out of here without anyone realizing it. There are too many men here." I add.

"We can go to the bathroom and get changed. I'm off shift in 20. I'll get it cleared. Just give me five."

"Robin, only tell the chief, no one else. I don't know who is leaking information." I touched her arm while I spoke to her and planted two bugs on her. I call Steph over to tell her the plan.

"Are you sure we can trust Robin? I mean, there are a lot of us in here. Too many eyes."

"She's bugged. We're listening to her conversations."

Robin walks over to Steph and I. "Good to go. I'll head in first. Meet me there in five."

Steph gives Robin a head start. We can still hear her and know that she didn't tell anyone. We don't hear anyone in the bathroom other than Robin. We let Steph go in. Three minutes later, she's out and passes as Robin. "Tank, I need to take your statement, maybe we can step out back," Stephanie informs me.

"Of course, Officer." I follow her out. I have the all clear. We get Stephanie into the car and have her lie down on the back seat. I set up for a distraction. We have two former gang bangers from Stark Street who we got to crash their car. We promised them some help with their former gang. We know they won't screw up and get killed, but if they did, it's no loss. We hear the crash and everyone runs to the front. We take the time and pull out. We are a caravan of 20, with five groups of four going in separate directions. I have Bobby and Lester with Steph. I'm not following her yet. Whoever is out to get her will automatically think that she is with me. We are all communicating back with HQ. So far, Steph is not being followed. However, I have a tail. I need to get away from this guy. But, I can't lose this tail until I know that Steph is far enough away from Trenton to be safe. I get the all clear. Now it's time to play. I start to turn right and left, going down the alley and looking for someplace to hide. I spot a parking garage. I go back around and drive in. I find a spot and pull in. I watch the car tailing me drives past. I have the other teams circle back to check, but there is no car nearby. I pull out of my spot and meet two other guys in the parking lot at the Quakerbridge Mall. There, I switch out cars. I have a new Lexus SUV for Steph. I start to drive towards HQ. No tails. I turn and now, I can finally go to SP.

 **Stephanie's POV**

Bobby and Lester are driving carefully. They don't want to make any sudden stops with me unsecured in the back seat. I have to try and relax. Robin's uniform would fit me perfectly if I wasn't two and half months pregnant. I can't wait to change. I hear them announce that Tank is being followed. Just as we thought. He manages to lose the tail and change out cars as we hit the gates at SP. We pull to the back of the house, and they open the door for me. I make Hector wand me before entering the house. I'm clear and so is the car, Bobby, and Lester. We enter the house and I go to get changed. I walk into the house and to our bedroom. Carlos is sleeping. Good. Now I can sneak and get changed. He needs to see me in my clothes when we tell him what happened. I need to find a doctor here. Thank goodness Monica has all my medical records. I hate that I don't feel safe outside the estate. How did Connie find me? I tried to figure it out. Then it hit me. Lula. She must be involved in this somehow. I just don't know how. I get dressed and climb into bed with Carlos, kiss him, and fall asleep.

"Babe, wake up. It's time for dinner." Carlos is giving me kisses on my face. "I'm up. Sorry. I was tired. It was a long day." We hear a knock on the door. It's Tank. We let him in.

"Boss, we had an incident today. Someone put a bomb on Stephanie's Mercedes when we stopped for lunch. Fortunately, the cops saw, but couldn't catch the person. We think it was Connie. We had to do some quick thinking to get Stephanie out of Trenton, but we did it, and everyone is fine. No casualties. I was followed, but I lost the tail. Stephanie was not with me. She went with Bobby and Lester. We separated. As I guessed, they thought that I had Steph with me. I drove back in her new car. I wasn't followed."

"How are they finding us. The Burg gossip grapevine must be on speed." Carlos says.

"Is that why you were wearing a cop's uniform?"

"I thought you were sleeping." I sigh. "I didn't want you to see and get upset."

"I thought it was a dream. Who's uniform?"

"Robin Russell's. I couldn't wait to get it off. It was a little snug."

"Well, you made it back. But, we can't go back to Trenton. Did they find anything out yet?"

"No. We're working on it, Boss." Tank answered.

Carlos paused, then said, "Good job, Tank. You put a good mission together in a short period and got Stephanie back home to me safe and sound. I might not have agreed with you, but you were right." Tank was staring, completely caught off guard. "Dismissed."

"Thank you, Boss." Tank said then walked out.

"Wow, Carlos, I'm proud of you. You didn't get bent out of shape and listened. You said a good job."

"Babe, you're pushing your luck. I'm not happy that you didn't tell me yourself."

"Carlos, I'm working on it. By the way, I'm cleared to resume all normal activities. I know you aren't yet, but, I can help you out a bit." I start to kiss Carlos, first gently, then much more deeply. I am excited. I want Carlos badly. I start to move down his chest and gently kiss his new scar. I continue to move down his chest, slowly kissing him and licking him. I feel him waking up. He starts to moan. "Babe, Monica is going to bar you from our room. I hear him starting to breathe heavy.

"Do you want me to stop?" I ask as I move to his manhood.

"Babe, I don't want you to, but I can't breathe. You have to stop before I have a heart attack. I don't want to go into cardiac arrest with an erection at my age."

I put my mouth on his manhood and slide it up and down twice before he gently pulls my hair. "Stop, please." He's trying to catch his breath. "I never thought that I would ever be the one to ask _you_ to stop. This is usually your role."

I reluctantly stop and move to snuggle in next to him. "I'm sorry, it's just been too long, _and_ I'm off sugar. I'm going to go and take a shower." I get up and head to the bathroom. When I come out, Monica's in the bedroom examining Carlos. She looks at me and says, "If you don't control yourself, I will make sure that you sleep in the guest house with me until Ranger is better. If you can't share the bed without elevating his heart rate, you are out of here."

I try to look innocent, but I fail. I start to laugh. "Monica, you don't understand. I've been off sugar for two weeks. If I can't use sugar to deal with stress and anxiety, I need to use sex."

"Then you are allowed one SMALL dessert each day. Otherwise, you will kill Ranger." Now, let me check you out, in the guest room, chica."

We enter the guest room. "Steph, what were you thinking? Do you realize how seriously he was hurt?"

"Yes, I do. It started off with a kiss. That was it, then, I just couldn't stop. Monica, I miss him. I wasn't going to make him do anything but lay there." I sigh.

She shakes her head. "I walked in five minutes after you left and he still hadn't calmed down. He was a little embarrassed. I pretended I didn't notice. From what I did notice, I do understand, but really."

"Do you realize I may die from sexual frustration?"

"You do know that their things called vibrators that were invented to help women all over the world with that problem."

"Yes, but once you experience magic, nothing is good enough. I tried them before. I had a perfect one at my apartment, at least according to Lula. It was a Herbert Horsecock, but it's no Carlos Manoso. Plus, I'm used to the foreplay."

"Stephanie, TMI. How many rounds on average?"

"Average, three. I don't know what our max was. When we were in Hawaii, we spend almost 24 hours a day engaged in exploring each other. Quickies are magical as well."

Monica shakes her head and looks at me. "Stephanie, Ranger is a strong, healthy man. His recovery will be quicker than most, but he needs at least a month. Men's heart rate typically gets higher than a woman's during sex, and that can hurt Ranger, who is recovering from a lung injury. He can't struggle to breathe, it will put too much pressure on his heart. If you really want him to get better, then you must stop teasing him."

"You're right. I was just on hormone overload today. After everything that happened in Trenton, I'm so grateful to be back here, and I don't want to waste time. Someone is out to get Ranger and me. I think it's Connie, but we can't find that bitch."

"Well find her, Steph. Until then, I found a doctor here in town for you. You don't need to go back to Trenton. You are registered at Carolina Martinez. You should be safe." I hug Monica. "Thank you. I guess we should go down to dinner now."

"I think Ranger has calmed down enough by now. Can you get him down to dinner without elevating his heart rate?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Very funny, Plum, very funny."

Monica leaves me to go downstairs. I return to our bedroom. I walk over to Carlos, who is sitting on the bed. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that your breathing was so difficult. I just miss you."

"Babe, it's okay. I miss you too. Unfortunately, I wasn't relaxed enough when Monica came in. Just wait for a payback." He smirked at me. Oh boy.

"I've been given orders to bring you downstairs for dinner, and I'm not allowed to elevate your heart rate. If I don't behave, Monica is going to make me her roommate. On the plus side, she had decided that I can have one small dessert every day. I can have some sugar."

"Just make sure that you go back off sugar at least three days before I'm cleared. I plan on keeping you very busy." Carlos said before pulling me in for a mind-numbing kiss. "Now get up and help me downstairs."

We arrive in the dining room and sit for dinner. The whole SP crew is there, and Tank is getting ready to report on what was discovered. "It seems that Connie has a lot of contacts in Trenton. Stephanie's doctor's secretary is a friend of Connie. She called her when Steph arrived for the appointment. Connie didn't make it to the doctor on time to ambush us there, but she got lucky when Lula stumbled upon us a Pino's. Lula called Connie when she saw Steph's car with all the other fleet cars there. She hired some kid to plant the bomb on Stephanie's car. We got it off and we are examining it. We can't find where she's hiding, though. So, Stephanie, for the foreseeable future, we must stay here, far away from Trenton. If you need to go out, we go locally. We also need to get a few non-black vehicles."

"Did anyone manage to get eyes or ears on Connie or her car?"

"No. The only reason we know Connie was involved was from the two people we questioned. Hector is running searches on any variation of name that Connie might be using, but can't find her anywhere. She knows how to hide herself." Tank answered.

"And we're sure that her family isn't helping her?"

"Yes. That is clear."

"What about the Grizoli family? Could they be hiding Connie and helping her? I could see Terry asking her uncle to help out Connie just to screw with me." I mention.

"It's possible, but not probable." Tank sits thinking. "We can ask Harry for more help. He is definitely on our side."

"We need to pull Cal and Hal from working for Vinnie. We need to end all ties with him right now. We don't know if she has the office bugged or if she is watching them to try to get to me. I think you need to meet with Harry and tell him the situation, but at this point, I don't care about Vinnie's business." I demand.

"Stephanie's right. We need to pull out. Tank, set up a meeting with Harry. I want to buy the business from Vinnie. We can do a much better job in bond enforcement that he can anyway. Also, when Steph is ready, then she can go back to chasing skips if she wants." Carlos orders.

"Ok, Boss. I'll set up those meeting in the morning."

A month goes by and we still have no new information on Connie. She is hiding somewhere, but we can't pinpoint where. Whenever we think we found a breadcrumb, the trail disappears. Carlos is doing much better and is cleared for light exercise. He's not yet cleared for sex, but I know it will be soon enough. We have both been spending far too much time alone in the shower. I've started to sleep on a cot in the same room because the slightest touch of his hand anywhere but my hand is getting me way too turned on and he is feeling the same way. Even though I can have sugar, it's not helping. I think it's the pregnancy hormones. I am almost three months along, and we will be finding out the genders for our babies today. Christmas is tomorrow, and we are planning to tell everyone then.

Carlos, Tank, Lester, Bobby, Hector, Monica and I all leave to go to my appointment. Even though Connie doesn't know where I am, we still take the precaution of being over-vigilant. I go into the office with just Carlos and Monica, so we don't seem so crazy. The staff thinks Monica is my sister. The sonogram technician calls me into the room and Carlos joins me. I sit on the chair and pull up my shirt and pull down my pants below the bump. She puts the gel on my belly and on the device before doing her exam. She asks if we want to know the gender. I double check with Carlos and he nods. "Yes. We would like to know."

She moves the wand around and takes various pictures and measurements of "Twin A" and repeats the process for "Twin B." When she's done, she turns to us and says, "Congratulations, you have twin girls." Girls?! We have two girls?! I look at Carlos. He's shaking his head. I can't help but laugh. "Uh oh, I already see overprotective daddy coming out. I guess they won't be dating until they're 30." I laugh.

"Babe," is all he says before helping up and kissing me. "I'm glad, we're going to have daughters. Between me and all their 'uncles' they will be lucky to be allowed to leave the house once they turn 13, and let's not even think about bathing suits and dresses." I see some panic coming into his eyes.

"Hey, I'm a girl and managed to survive just fine with no major disasters. I got through my teen years unscathed."

He raised an eyebrow and just looked at me before whispering in my ear "Morelli." I quickly see his point.

"Carlos, with you and everyone else in their lives, they will have the best self-defense training that I never had. They will be able to fight off jerks like him. They will be loved, and therefore, will not need to do what they don't want to do just to make them feel better, to boost their self-esteem."

"I know your right, but I will still worry. And God helps any boy who hurts them…"

"I think you're getting ahead of yourself. You have plenty of time to get ready for that."

We go into the next exam room for the doctor to look at me. "Carolina, you're looking good. I see that you have only gained 5 pounds, which is fine because the babies are developing well. Any morning sickness or other problems?"

"No. I just don't have as much of an appetite. I am eating less now than I did before I was pregnant."

"That's okay. That happens with some women. The babies, in your case, are against your stomach, so they are making you feel full sooner. I just want you to make sure to eat a very healthy, well-balanced, high caloric diet so that you have enough fuel for you and the babies. I'll send you home with some sample menus. I'll see you in four weeks for your next appointment. And Merry Christmas."

We leave the examination room and I make my next appointment. I go out to Monica. I tell her everything is okay and give her the menus. We start to head out of the building. "Well, what are they?" she finally asks.

"You'll find out with everyone else tomorrow," I tell her. If looks could kill, I'd be dead on the spot. "Listen, it's less than 24 hours until you'll know. At least you can have sex whenever you want." I give her a Burg glare and turn away before I start to smile.

We go back into the cars and drive back to SP without any problems. When we get there, Monica pulls us aside. "I have a friend from my medic days who's a pulmonologist. He's going to come by in an hour to exam you, Carlos. I think you are fine and healed, but I want him to confirm. He's clean. I had Tank run a full background before I invited him here. He's being picked up in Delaware and driven here from there by Lester and Bobby. Bobby knows him, so we know that he will be the one there."

"Thank you, Monica. When is he arriving?"

She looks at her watch, "In about 2 hours."

Carlos and I go up to our bedroom and sit on the couch in there. "What's wrong. You seem a little lost in your thoughts."

"Babe," Carlos begins, "I have a daughter. I have Julie. Now, while I don't have a strong relationship with her or a close one, she is still my blood. I know that she is interested in boys from my conversations with Rachel, but she is not yet allowed to date. I am letting Ron and Rachel control that aspect of Julie's life. I hope she doesn't meet a boy like my high school or Army self, or someone like Morelli. I look at you, the woman I love, and get worried. You grew up in a two-parent household with a sister, and yet you were molested at the age of 6 by an 8-year-old boy, and nothing happened to him. That same boy took your virginity and raped you at the age of 16 on the floor of a bakery, and nothing happened. You managed to meet and marry and worthless, cheating ass, and then get involved in a long-term, on again, off again relationship with the man who raped and molested you." He pauses, gets up and continues, "While you were in that relationship with Morelli, you and I were kissing and touching at any opportunity. And I was there, trying to encourage you to sleep with me even though I knew you were in a relationship. We spent a week in Hawaii acting like we were married, only to have you return here and go back to Morelli. In one week, you had sex with two men, and you needed a paternity test to figure out who these babies belong to. I know that I am to blame. I take full responsibilities for my actions, but the fact is, as it stands, these babies will be born to an unwed mother. On their birth certificates, the parent names will be Stephanie Michelle Plum and Ricardo Carlos Manoso. They will have my name, but you won't."

I couldn't believe what he was saying. It made me feel worthless and dirty. My life wasn't that screwed up. Yes, I made mistakes, but I didn't see the abuse, the rape, or the craziness. Does this mean he no longer loves me? "Ranger, what are you trying to say." I am holding back tears, but I can't keep my voice from hitching. His head snapped around and he once again sat next to me on the couch and took my hands.

"Babe, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry, but what I am trying to say that if I were your father, I would have killed me by now. I don't want my girls to have my name when you don't. What I'm trying to say is that I'm scared that they will fall for the wrong men; that they will settle for being unhappy just to try and conform; that they will go back and forth between two men because they are too scared and lack the self-confidence to admit their feelings and risk being hurt." He stopped and took a deep breath. "Stephanie, we are engaged, we made that commitment to each other already. I want to marry you, that hasn't changed. What has changed is that I want to marry you sooner rather than later. I want you to be my wife and to have my name before the girls are born. I want your name on their birth certificate to be Stephanie Michelle Manoso. So, I know you didn't want to rush to get married, and I respect your wishes, but I don't want to wait anymore." He pauses, "Can we at least talk about setting a date?"

I'm a little stunned and hurt. I have a lot to digest. "Carlos, a lot of what you just said hurt me. You made me feel worthless, weak, and dirty." He tries to interject. "Let me finish. I understand where you are coming from, and I have those same fears for my daughters as well. However, as we know, I was never loved growing up. I was the dirty little secret that my parents had to deal with. I was the one punished for being molested by Morelli at the age of six. I was the one who was punished for the summer for being raped and losing my virginity. I was the one who was punished when my husband cheated on me. I was the one who was told that I was not a good wife and that I apparently didn't satisfy my husband enough, which was why he cheated on me. I was taught that it was the woman's job to make sure that her man was always satisfied in the bedroom and that his needs were more important than my own. So, yes, I was in a relationship where I allowed my boyfriend to continually rape me, but it wasn't rape in my mind. And yes, I was torn between two men, cheating on one with the other whenever I could with stolen kisses and wandering hands. Yes, I did cheat on Morelli by screwing you, on more than one occasion. And yes, I was afraid to admit my feelings because I was told that a long term, serious relationship was NOT possible with you. You made that point clear on multiple occasions. If just once, in all the times I tried to ask you how you felt you admitted to loving me without qualifiers, if just once you said that you would be willing to give a relationship a try, if you just once fought for me instead of pushing me back to my abusive boyfriend, I would've been in yours so much sooner. My self-esteem has been determined by what others think of me through conditioning. I am just now starting to get over that need to please everyone. But when you say what you said to me, you push me back. Carlos, I love you, and I won't make the mistakes that my mother made with me because you won't let me. We will raise our daughters to be confident and self-reliant. We will teach them how they should be treated by a man. You will show them how a father loves his daughters and how a husband loves his wife. We will say 'I love you' to each other and to them. Those are three words that were rarely said in my house, and usually only to Valerie." I have to stop and relax before I say the next part.

"Babe, I didn't"

I cut him off, "Carlos, I want to marry you. I want to be your wife, and I want it to be when I can celebrate with everyone I care about, with my friends and family. I was hoping this Connie thing would have been resolved already because I didn't want to get married with that hanging over us, but I too, don't want Stephanie Michelle Plum listed as their mother. I also don't want to be a huge cow when we get married. So, why don't we get married on New Year's Eve? We can start off the new year and our new life together. What do you think?"

"Are you sure that's what you want? Are you sure I'm not pushing you to do something you don't want to do?"

"Yes, Carlos, I'm sure."

"Stephanie, Babe, I'm sorry if I hurt you, I didn't mean to hurt you. I would never hurt you on purpose. It just makes me so angry that you had to go through everything you did. I wish I could have met you sooner, before Dickie. I wish I could have met you before my Army days. I know that if I had, those years would have been so much easier knowing that I had you at home. Since I met you, my missions have been much easier for me to handle. I had always made it a point to see you, however briefly, before I left. I could kiss you and hold you, keeping that memory with me to help me get through it and to comfort me if something went wrong. I knew that I could see you when I returned, and often you were the first person I saw so that I could feel you in my arms and taste on my lips." He paused. He was struggling to decide if he wanted to share something or not. "I have been packing your strawberry shampoo whenever I leave since that first night together so I could have your scent with me." He whispered.

I laughed. "I stole one of your t-shirts after my goldilocks stay so I could smell your scent. It keeps me calm and helps me to feel safe."

He kisses me and rests his head on my forehead. "God, Steph, I need you so badly. I want you so badly. Now and always. No matter how many times I am with you, I am never satisfied. I always need more. Wait, satisfied is the right word. I'm always satisfied, but I always want more. If we could spend the rest of our lives together making love, it still would never be enough. You have no idea how hard it was to sleep in the same bed as you all those nights and never be intimate. Smelling your hair, feeling your legs around me, your arms, I couldn't help but try. But, you always resisted me. I don't know how, because I would hear your breathing change, I could feel the excitement in your body, the way your eyes would dilate and the way you would go all weak, and then you would pull away or stop me. I once told Morelli, I think it was when you were working for me during the Stiva incident, that if he wasn't careful, you would be a distant memory."

So that's why he always said he trusted me and but he didn't trust Carlos. That's why he started to get more possessive and hated me to be near Carlos. I understood what Carlos did, and it was genius on his part. "You know, Morelli started to get annoying about me being around you after that point, more so than normal. Then after Scrog, it just compounded. But, by him constantly ordering me away from you, we would get into a fight and break up, and I would wind up spending more time with you. You were making him push me to you." Then I stopped. "You know you're a bastard, right? You both played me back and forth like I was a fucking tennis ball. And I was the one with all the guilt."

With that, there was knock on the door, and the doctor had arrived. He examined Carlos and went over all test results and asked him questions. He had him do some basic exercises. After seeing that he was doing well, he spoke to us.

"Mr. Manoso, you are doing extremely well for someone who was as gravely injured as you were. It can be be greatly attributed to the excellent physical condition you were in before you were injured. Now, you can resume some physical exertion and exercise, limiting it to cardio for now. No weight training or hand to hand contact. Stretching will be good, but only every other day for now. It will take you a few more months before you can resume your usual workout regime." The doctor told Carlos.

Carlos looks at me, and I look at him, "Can I, um, is it possible," Wow, Carlos embarrassed.

"He wants to know if he can have sex," Monica asks bluntly. "He thinks his 15."

The doctor smiled and tried to hold back a laugh before responding "Yes, just don't over exert yourself. Let your woman take some control." I blushed. With that, he wished us well and left with Monica.

"Well, Carlos, I guess I know what I'm having for dessert," I said as I licked my lips. He got up and pulled me close to him and kissed me. His hands were on my ass, and he was pushing me against him. He started to move his hand under my shirt when we heard the knock on the door. "What?" Carlos responded.

"Dinner's ready, come on down. Everyone is waiting for you." Monica said. I could hear her laughing. "And no, we will not wait ten minutes. You have two minutes until I come in and drag you out."

I pull away and fix myself. I look at Carlos. "I'll go ahead of you. If I leave, you'll have a few minutes to, um, deflate." With that, I rub my hand against his bulge and run out of the room. "Monica, he needs a few minutes."


	22. Chapter 22--Christmas Surprises

Chapter 22—Christmas Surprises

I arrive down to the dining room first. I enter the room and see Ella. I run over to her. "Ella! I didn't know you were coming! I'm so excited to see you."

"Mi hija, there is no one else I would want to spend Christmas with but you and Ranger. You are my family." She hugged me again. "I know that you probably ate the seven fishes on Christmas Eve, but you can't eat that much fish, so."

"Ella, we never followed that tradition. We are a meat and potato type family."

"Oh, good, because Ranger said you didn't eat fish. I just wanted to make sure that you felt comfortable."

"Ella, just having you here is more than enough for me. What can I help you with?"

"Nothing, everything is done. We just need Ranger so we can start."

With that, Carlos walks into the room and over to Ella and me. He kisses Ella on the check and says something to her in Spanish. She replies and walks away. "What did you say?"

"I told her that the food smells marvelous and I'm glad that she and Luis are here."

He has his arm around my waist and kisses my head. I look around the room at my new family. Beside Ella, Luis, and Monica, there's Bobby, Tank, Lester, Miguel, Hector, Ram, Cal, Hal, and Vince. We have men sitting with us who have a skull tattooed on their head, gang kill marks on their face, as well as the assortment of football linebacker types. Then there's Monica, who pretty in a classic sense, but no less tough, and Ella and Luis, who like me, look out of place. We take our positions at the table. Carlos, of course, assumes the head seat. I move to sit next to him, and he pushes me to the seat at the other end of the table. He whispers in my ear "This is your home, and these are your guests, you sit at the head like me." I walk to the other end and sit. Tank, as usual, is on Carlos' right side. Next to Tank is Lester, Cal, Hall, Bobby, and Monica, next to me. Sitting on my other side is Ella, with Luis, Hector, Vince, Ram, and Miguel.

Carlos stands and speaks to everyone. "I know this is something that we have never done before. But, with everything that has happened in the last three months, both Stephanie and I felt that we needed this connection. To the both of us, you are part of our family. We are so blessed to be welcoming two little ones in a few months and know that all their uncles and their aunt will be ready to help us keep them safe. Ella, you have become the mother that Stephanie deserves to have, and Monica, you are now her sister. We could not have made it through the last three months without each of you. Tank, you have always had my back, along with the rest of the men at this table, but now, you also have the back of Stephanie and our babies." He pauses before looking at me. I nod my head. "Stephanie and I have decided that we will be getting married on New Year's Eve. Of course, you are all invited. We haven't determined the particulars, but within the next week we will get our act together." I suddenly pale. A week! I forgot how close New Year's Eve is to Christmas. How will I ever get everything done! I don't even have a dress! Carlos continues "Apparently the bride-to-be didn't think this through. But, Babe, there's no backing out now. We have planned and executed far more complex missions than this in less time. You just concentrate on the dress and whatever you need, and I have the rest. I'm sure Monica and Ella can help you."

"Now, I just would like to say, Merry Christmas and enjoy the wonderful dinner prepared by Ella, because if we had to rely on Monica and Stephanie, we wouldn't eat." We both shot him the death glare, and the guys all laughed. Monica leans to me and whispers "You will make him pay for that comment, right?"

"Oh yeah, and it will be good, for both of us."

We spend the next four hours eating and talking. At some point, music came on, and we spend some time dancing, though it was hard with only three women and eleven men. I didn't know that Carlos could dance. I was glad I had to take those ballroom dance classes because at least I knew the Latin dances and could keep up. Finally, I was exhausted and so was Carlos. We helped Ella clean up, and we went up to our room.

Once we enter, Carlos closes the door and locks it. He grabs my arm and pulls me against him and kisses me. I opened my mouth, and our tongues danced around each other. I felt him getting hard against me, and I couldn't help getting excited. He turned me, so I was against the wall and leaned in close against me "That was not nice what you did earlier. Cold water didn't even help. You know payback is a bitch." was He kneels down, takes off my pants and panties, and kisses my belly, and says "Mis hijas, mis hermosas hijitas." (My daughters, my beautiful little girls.) He then stood up and kissed me again before looking into my eyes. "Mi hermoso prometido, mi amor, mi vida." (My beautiful fiancé, my love, my life.)

I have no idea what he was saying, but I love it. Whenever he talks in Spanish during our love making it makes me even more turned on. His hands are at the bottom of my shirt and he his is taking it off. He then removes my bra. He steps back and looks at me slowly, up, down, and then back up. "Babe, do you know how beautiful you are? How incredibly sexy? Especially with that bump?" He rubs his hands on my bump, kisses me again and I moan. Then, he strips. I watch him tumble out when he pulls down his pants and desire is flooding through me. He looks at me and smirks. He walks to the bed, pulls down the sheets, and lies down. "Night Babe."

My mouth drops open; I can't believe he did that to me. Okay, maybe I deserve it, but two can play that game. I see my bag next to my side of the bed. I walk over to the closet and pull on one of the nighties I got from Victoria's Secret. It is transparent and doesn't cover anything. I see him watching me. I then climb into my side of the bed I look at my handcuffs in my bag on the top. He tries to put his arm around me, but I don't let him. I wait. "Babe, come here, I'm sorry." I turn toward him with the cuffs in my hand. "That was mean. That was cruel." I slide the cuffs under the pillow. I straddle him. He places his hands on my breasts and starts to play with my nipples through the thin material. I grab his hands and put them over his head. I lean down and kiss him. I remove one hand and start to touch his face. He goes to touch me. "No. Leave them." He looks at me, and his eyes are questioning me, but he goes along. I feel his excitement building. I continue to kiss him and grab the cuffs. I put them on one wrist, through the bars of the headrest, and the on the other wrist before he can react. "Babe, mi amor, what are you doing?" I put my finger to his lips to shush him. "You'll see."

I start to kiss his face and his neck. Following my kisses with my tongue. I kiss his chest, and then I attack his nipples. I mark him on his neck, sucking and pulling at his skin. "Mine," I say when I'm done. I fell him moaning and moving beneath me. He is aroused. I move my kisses further down. I kiss his tight abs, his hips, and his thigh, ignoring his bulging member in the middle. I kiss down his legs and lick my way up. I finally stop and examine his manhood. It is standing straight up, at full attention, and waiting to be touched. He looks at me and says "Babe, please, this is torture." I smile. I barely touch the tip of him with my tongue, and I can feel his hips move up. I put my hands on his hips to push him back down. "No," I say. I go back and gently kiss and lick his cock up and down and all around. I don't take him in my mouth yet; that he needs to wait for a few more minutes. "Babe, come on." He's begging. I have Carlos begging. I am so turned on by this side of him. I decide to take him in my mouth, very slowly, once, twice, three times. Then I start to kiss him up to his chest again. I rub my body along the length of him as I move my kisses up. I put my breast near his mouth and he starts to kiss and suck it. I switch sides. I kiss him once again. Then, I get up and go onto my bed. I can't look at him because I'm smiling.

"Babe, get over here. You can't leave me like this all night. Come on Babe."

"Not until you say the magic word."

"Please, Babe, please make love to me. I need you, and I want you, badly. I always will."

"Do you apologize for your comment on my cooking?"

"Yes, I don't care that you can't cook. I don't care that you have the diet of a 12-year-old. I love you exactly the way you are, now please make love to me."

I run over to the bed and jump on top of Carlos. I start to kiss him again and I stroke him with my hand. I reach into my bag and find the key. I unlock the cuffs. He flips me over and pushes himself inside me. He gives me a moment to adjust, but then he's wild. He's driving quickly and deeply. He is kissing me, and he takes his hand and rubs my nub while moving in and out. His other hand is playing with my breasts. My senses are being assaulted, and we both release together. "Oh Carlos, don't stop." He continues to push before we need to catch our breath. I am laying in his arms, and he is rubbing my arm and my side. "What made you do that, Babe? Not that I'm complaining, but that's a little out of character."

"I was pissed you walked away. I wanted to get even."

"Well, you did. But now I want you again, only this time, it's my turn."

I start to panic. I feel myself start to hyperventilate. "Babe, relax, no cuffs, I promise. I wouldn't do that to you. Just let me take control. Just keep your hands at your side or where ever, but no touching. Is that a deal?"

"Ok." I take a deep breath. Carlos moves so he's on his side next to me. He takes his hand and slowing runs it across my neck, from below one ear to the other. Carlos runs it down my chest to my breasts. He circles the nipples and lightly grazes each one before giving a little pinch. He rubs his hand across our girls, and gives two kisses. "Mis hijitas." He continues with his hand down my hips, across and around my core, and then down my right leg before coming up my left leg. He's watching my eyes and my face to see my reaction. He gently circles my core, not touching it, but coming close. I want to push his hand down, but I know that this is his game. He very lightly touches my nub, then gently places his finger inside my fold, with his thumb on my nub. I moan and start to move my body and lift my hips. He pushes me down and says "No, Babe." I stop and let him continue. He's moving slowing inside me with his finger before placing a second one inside. He starts to move a little faster, but not as deeply. I am so ready for him, and he's getting me close. He increases the pace and goes further inside me, and I feel myself getting close to an orgasm. Then, he stops. "Carlos, please."

"Not yet."

He starts to kiss me, running his kisses along the same path as his hands. I want to put my hands in his hair, but I know I can't. He reaches my breasts and spends at least ten minutes attacking each one. First my right, then my left, with soft gentle kisses, licks with his tongues, and tender bites on and pulls on my nipple. He goes to a spot on the top of my breast and starts to suck and bite. He's marking me as I marked him. "Mine." He repeats on the other breast. Then he moves down to my belly. "You are so sexy, I love seeing you pregnant with our babies." He continues until he reaches my center. He gently kisses all around, leaving the promise land alone. I am trying to be patient, but I can't wait much longer. He gently kisses around my center and lets his warm breath settle before giving the smallest lick. Then, he attacks my wet folds with his mouth and tongue. He pushes me over one time, two times, and then he uses and finger and mouth together. He puts two fingers inside me while sucking on and licking my nub. I finally can't take it and reach down for his hair. I have to touch him. He immediately stops and looks at me. He shakes his head and repeats, "No."

"Carlos, please, I need to touch you, I want to touch you."

"Just wait. I promise it will be good."

I put my hands back down, and he goes right back to where he was. Licking and sucking my nub while moving his fingers inside me. He matches his pace with his mouth and hand, going super slow before gradually increasing his speed before slowing down again. He keeps bringing me to the brink of an explosion and then he stops. Finally, he lets me have the mother of all orgasms. He doesn't stop until I am begging him to stop because it is just too sensitive. He then slowly kisses my belly, then each breast, my neck, and finally, kisses me. Our tongues play their games, and then he's inside me. I thought I was done, but I still need him. "Now?" I ask him. He nods yes. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull down to me while he moves inside. I run my nails up and down his back and turn his head so I can attach his neck. I don't mean to, but I mark him under his ear. "Carlos, please don't stop."

"Babe, I don't want to hurt you, I'm trying to go slow."

"I'm fine, don't hold back."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He lifts up my leg and places it on his shoulder so he can get deeper inside me. He pushes faster than before, and I match his pace. We're kissing and moaning, and I'm running my nails down his back. I feel inspired and say "Te queiro, Carlos." He paused for a moment, and I repeated "te queiro, Carlos" he brings his mouth down to mine and goes crazy. We both come together, and he slows down until we are both completely spent while kissing me. Finally, he pulls out and lays down on his back before pulling me on top of him. "Wow, magic" I whispered.

"Babe, what made you say te queiro?"

"I don't know, you always say it to me, and I love the way it sounds, so I wanted to say it to you."

"I liked it. I need to teach you more Spanish."

"And I need a shower." I get up and go to our bathroom. He is right behind me. "Carlos, I think we did enough."

"I don't think so. It's been six long weeks." We went another two rounds in the shower before finally calling it quits for the night, well, actually morning. "Carlos, it's 4 am. I hope we're not expected downstairs too early."

"I think we are due down at 9 am."

"Damn you. Three and a half hours will not be enough."

"Why do you need to get up at 7:30?"

"I have to get ready."

"You need an hour and a half?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I'll set the alarm for 7:30." We climb back into bed and I rest my head on his chest and we go to sleep.

I hear the watch go off. I don't want to get up. "Babe, it's 7:30. You said you needed to get up."

"Ugh. I know. I don't want to though. Wake me up in a half hour."

"I thought you need more time to get ready."

"I'll deal with less time. for You kept me up way to late last night." I close my eyes.

"Babe, it's 8:30. You have to get up now." I feel Carlos's gentle kisses on my face. "Steph, you need to get up."

"I'm up; I'm up." I glance at the clock. "8:30! I'm never going to be ready." I throw the t-shirt on the floor and take a 5-minute shower. I jump out, brush my teeth and put my hair in a ponytail. I run to the closet and put on the red baby doll dress I bought for today and my cute, red flats. I'll save my FMPs for tonight.

"Babe, you're a little over-dressed."

"What are you talking about? This is how I always dress on Christmas morning."

Carlos walks over to me and laughs. "This isn't the Burg. We don't have to be so formal. Wear this tonight. But for now, how's this?"

He shows me a pair of black maternity leggings, a red tank top, and red and green button-down sweater.

"It'll work." I quickly get changed. I look at the clock. 8:55, great. I'm on time. I look at Carlos, and he is wearing black jeans and a dark green sweater. I notice the hickey on his neck. "Crap" I touch the mark and Carlos laughs. "Well, I guess everyone will know how we spent our night." I look in the mirror. Thank goodness no one can see the ones on me. "Babe, you look relieved."

"I'm glad they can't see mine."

"I guess I have to fix that." With that, he grabs me and starts to kiss my neck. He sucks, and bites and when he's done, I have a matching mark. "I hate you." I playfully hit his arm and then Carlos and I go downstairs to find everyone but Bobby and Monica in the living room.

We hear the front door open, and more than two voices. I don't know who else is coming. Suddenly, about 20 more people enter the house with Monica and Bobby. I look at Carlos, and he is up and greeting the new arrivals. Finally, one of the women looks at Carlos and asks, "Where is she, where is my new daughter?" His family. OMG!

Carlos walks over to me and pulls me towards his mom. "Mom, dad, this is my fiancé, this is my Stephanie, my Babe. Steph, these are my parents and my siblings."

"Stephanie, we are so happy to finally meet you! Carlos has been talking about you non-stop for the last few years. I am so glad you are in his life. You have allowed him to live again. My name is Marisol and this is my husband Rodolfo and we are Carlos's parents. This is Abuela Rosa." She points to an older woman who share's Carlos's eyes. "His sisters are Ramira, Celia, Samara, and Yoselyn. His brother is Enrico. Ramira is married to Jose, Celia to Fernando, Samara to Alexis, and Yoselyn to Mateo. Enrico was following in his brother's shoes as a bachelor. The assorted kids belong to Ramira, Celia, and Samara." Everyone is coming to me at once and I am a little overwhelmed. Marisol looks and me and sees my expression. She turns to her son and smacks him on the back of his head. "You didn't tell her we were coming? How can you just thrust 20 people on your fiancé without warning her, and on Navidad?"

Carlos rubs his head and says, "I wanted to surprise her."

"You're lucky she doesn't run away. We are overwhelming when someone is unprepared for the attack of the Manosos." Celia says.

I finally find my voice. "I am glad to meet you, all of you. I had no idea that Carlos invited you. He doesn't talk much about his family, so I'm afraid I don't know anything about you."

"Don't worry, by this time next week we'll be best friends. You'll know far more than you ever wanted to know about the Manosos." Ramira tells me.

One of the kids, who looks about eight, asked "When are we opening our gifts? You promised we would open them when we got to Uncle Ricky's. Well, we're hereyourand we are not opening them yet."

Carlos turns to the kids and tells them to sit by the tree. Everyone moves near the tree. I turn to Carlos and whisper "I don't have gifts for everyone."

"Babe." I should've known, took care of it.

Carlos makes me sit on the couch while he starts to distribute the gifts. I had no idea what to get him because he is a man who has everything. But, with Tank's help, I got him something that he could use and that he doesn't have. When all the gifts have been distributed, we start to open them. I got Wonder Woman cape from Bobby, I fire resistant wallet from Tank and an assortment of gift cards from the guys. Monica got me some great creams and soaps. But, there was nothing from Carlos.

Yoselyn asked, "What did Carlos get you?" Without missing a beat, he was next to me with a box. I took it from him and opened it. It was a light blue box with a blue ribbon. I open the lid and inside is a diamond and sapphire heart on a platinum chain with matching diamond and sapphire earrings. My mouth drops. "Oh my God." Before I could do anything, he has the necklace around my neck. I put my arms around his neck and kiss him deeply and he kisses me back. It's only when one of his nephews says "Ewww, their kissing," that we break it up.

"Great, Ricky, now you put the pressure on the rest of us. We can't compete with you."

Carlos then hands me another small box. I open it up and see two set of keys. I look at him and get up to look out the window. They are both for the two Bentley Bentayga SUVs, one white and one black. Carlos tells me they are fully loaded, with leather seats. Mateo and Alexis look like they are ready to kill Carlos.

"Yo, bro, you know that you are setting the bar too high. How can us mere mortals compete with Batman?" Enrico says.

"Now Enrico, there's no reason to get mad at Carlos. You don't have a woman anyway."

"I'm talking on behalf of my other brothers. Ricky is making everyone look bad."

"Well, Ricky, what did you get from Stephanie?" Samara asks. I hand him my gift and now feel like it's inadequate. He opens it to find a Patek Philippe chronographic watch. "I have it set up with a tracker and panic button, but I figured that this would look better for occasions when you have to dress up as opposed to your normal, sporty watch. Look at the back." Carlos turns it over and sees an engravement. It says "Love, Your Babe". He looks at me and I can't tell if he likes it or not. I start to look down. "Babe." He lifts my chin, "Thank you." He barely whispers and pulls me into a rib breaking hug.

"Damn, it's a Patek Philippe. I can sell that, and we can pay off our mortgage with that watch." Celia says.

"Es suficiente, deja a tu hermano solo. No es su culpa que le vaya bien en los negocios. Al menos ahora puede compartirlo con su alma gemel." Abuela Rosa interjects. (That's enough, leave your brother alone. It's not his fault he does well in business. At least now he can share it with his soulmate.)

"Si, abuela, lo siento Ricky." They all answered in unison.

"I have to learn Spanish." Carlos's mom laughs and I look up. "I said that out loud?"

"Yes, my dear. So, what's the big news you wanted to share, Carlos."

"Yes, Ricky, what it is?" Samara asks.

"Well, Mom, Dad, Abuela, everyone, Stephanie and I are expecting twin girls in June, and we're getting married in one week, on New Year's Eve." Carlos tells them.

"Twins?!" Yoselyn asks.

"A wedding in a week?" Enrico exclaims.

"Dios Mio! I'm so excited and happy." Marisol comes over and hugs me.

"Mrs. Manoso,"

"Please call me mom or Marisol."

"Marisol, I hope you don't mind that we didn't tell you sooner."

"My dear, mi hija, now is perfect. It's the best Navidad gift we could get."

Rodolfo goes over to his son and says. "Carlos, did I not teach you anything? You know you are supposed to marry the girl first, then start the family. Not the other way around." All the while he has a smile on his face.

"Don't blame them, Mr. M." Tank says, "They were both living in the land of denial for too long and didn't want to admit that they loved each other. They are too stubborn to conform."

With that, Carlos's phone rang. He picked it up. "Report." "What? You have got to be kidding to me! When?" "Do you know where he is? Keep us posted."

I see Carlos trying to control his temper but he is pissed off and angry. I walk over to him and put my hand on his shoulder. He looks me in the eyes and says, "Morelli's escaped. No one knows where he is."


	23. Chapter 23--Presenting Husband and Wife

Chapter 23—Presenting Husband and Wife

I am shocked. I don't know what to do or say. I just stand there and see the black spots appear in front of my eyes. Carlos makes me sit on the couch and pushes my head between my legs. "Breathe, Babe. It's okay. Just breathe." I catch my breath and look at Carlos. He pulls me into his lap and pushes my head against his chest. Ella enters and helps to clear the adults into the dining room and kitchen, where breakfast is set up. Monica and Tank stay with us. "Why can't Joe and Connie just disappear. They're like cockroaches, immortal and everywhere."

"We'll find them and we will keep you and those little girls safe. Don't you worry about it." Tank says before kissing my head. Monica is checking my pulse. "You did a good job calming yourself down. Just don't over exert yourself with your cardio." She gives Carlos and I knowing look. They both go to join everyone else. I look at Carlos and ask, "Is it okay if I go and lay down. I need time to process."

"Babe, you have to eat something first. If after breakfast you feel like you still need to disappear for a while, we will disappear together."

Just then, my stomach growls, "Well, I guess I am hungry." We go and join the rest of our guests in the dining room. "Why didn't you tell me you invited your family? I really excited to meet them, but I would have liked to have been prepared."

"I was afraid you would say no. I really wanted us to spend our first Christmas as a couple with my family, but I wasn't sure if you would want that considering what happened with yours. I was going to invite Grandma Mazur, but I don't' yet trust her."

"It's okay. She hasn't called me to ask how I've been. How much can she really care about me?" I sigh. "Next time you decide to invite people to our home, please tell me so I can be prepared."

"Okay. Do you like them?"

"Yes, they are great. But you went overboard with the gifts. Two cars? And Bentleys mind you. I'll have them blown up in no time. The Mercedes didn't even last. And the jewelry? One or the other would've been enough."

"Well, the cars are for the babies. I want to make sure that they are in a safe vehicle. As for the jewelry, you don't really have any and you should. I wasn't planning on buying them, but I was in the Tiffany's talking about their security system and I saw them there. They just spoke to me. I knew they were for you. It was an impulse buy." He grabbed me around the waist and we paused in the hall. "And what about that watch?"

"Well, you don't have a dress watch. Carlos, I don't know what to get you. You have everything already."

"I don't have everything yet." I look at him puzzled. What doesn't he have? He sees my expression. "When we become husband and wife next week, then I'll just be missing one thing, our little girls." For a man who said so little for so long, he's very expressive and romantic. We gentle kiss before joining the chaos.

I manage to get through breakfast, and by the time we're done, I have forgotten about Joe Morelli. Carlos's sisters drag Ella, Monica, Marisol and Abuela Rosa to the office to discuss the plans for the wedding.

"So, Stephanie, what do you need to finish up the plans?" Celia asks.

"Everything! We just decided on the date last night."

Ella jumps right in. "I'll handle the food and the wedding cake."

"I'll help you." Marisol adds.

"I can take care of order flowers and any decorations you might need." Samara volunteers.

Yoselyn quickly asks "Can I help you pick out your wedding dress? I can alter it if you need it to be altered, or I can make you one, we'd just need to get the materials tomorrow. I'd also need my sewing machine and other equipment."

"You can make me a dress?" I ask incredulously. "Really? That would be so awesome!"

"Yes, my Yoselyn is a designer. She works for a big company in New York City, but doesn't get enough opportunities to design and make stuff from scratch." She runs to her bag and takes out a sketch book and pencils and sits on the couch. She looks at me and then starts to draw. "I'll come up with a couple of ideas and you can choose what you like. I can adjust any design to fit you image.

Ramira jumps up. "I got the music. We'll make sure everyone is moving and grooving."

Monica says, "I guess that leaves me to make sure the men have whatever they need."

"Have you decided on bridesmaids or groomsmen yet?" Ella asks.

"No. We don't even know where we are getting married."

"Let me go get my son in here. I swear, you probably think I raised him in a sewer. I do hope he at least got down on one knee and took you out for a nice dinner to propose."

I shook my head no. "He didn't, but the proposal was perfect for us."

Marisol leaves the room and returns about a minute later with Carlos. "Carlos, where are you and Stephanie getting married? How many people are you inviting, and who are your groomsmen?"

"Well, Steph and I didn't talk about that yet."

"Carlos, mi hijo, it's a week away. You need to decide."

"Babe?"

"I don't know, here?"

"Do you want that or do you want to have it out someplace, like a restaurant or hall?"

"I did the big wedding already, I'm fine with a small one here."

"Then it will be here. How many bridesmaids?"

I had to stop and think. I really don't have any friends left. I have no family. "I guess four plus my maid of honor."

"Okay, then we'll have four groomsmen plus my best man."

"So, how many people?" Marisol looks at me.

"I have no one I need to invite. I have no family or friends outside of those people who are in this house or at HQ in Trenton." I tell my new mother-in-law to be.

"What about your parents?"

"They don't approve of my relationship with Carlos. They think he's a criminal and a thug. They hate me anyway. They never wanted me, and never really cared about me. It's no loss." I try to keep the bitterness out of my voice and I look at the floor. "Ella has become my mother and Monica my sister. So as long as they are here, I'm good."

Samara asks "Well, then who is in your bridal party?"

"I was hoping that you all would be, as my future sisters-in-law, with Monica as my maid of honor."

"We're in! I guess I have to get dresses together for us as well." Yoselyn says.

"No, you don't have to do all that work!"

"Don't worry. I love it. It'll be great."

"Mom, we'll say 50 for the invite list. I have to get some guys from HQ here. I'll have Tank coordinate."

"So I guess we're set?" I ask feebly. "Yes we are," Ramira responds.

Yoselyn comes over to me to show me a few sketches. She created three dresses, and they all look great. Carlos tries to peak at the drawings, but his Abuela pulls him away. "Es mala suerte si miras, mi nieto." (It's bad luck to look, my grandson.) The first dress has a sweetheart neckline with an empire waist. It has some lace type design on the bodice and is plain the rest of the way. The second dress is an A-line halter top dress with some sequin outlining the top and on the edge of the bottom of the dress. The last is a natural waist dress with ¾ length sleeve and a slightly higher v-neck cut. She has a rose on the skirt part of the dress, with smaller roses around the wrists of the sleeves. They are all beautiful, but I don't love any of them. "Yoselyn, can we combine some of the features from the different dresses to make a different design?" I ask tentatively.

'

"Of course! What do you like from each one and I will make it work."

"I like the empire waist from the first dress and the halter top of the second. I _love_ the rose on the third. I would like to keep the rose and the sequin on the halter top, but no lace or other embellishments."

"That'll be perfect. I can do that! Now, you can't wear a necklace with this dress, so you'll need earrings or a hair clip of some sort and a bracelet. Do you know how you want to wear your hair?"

"I would love to wear it down, but it doesn't really cooperate, so I guess up then."

"Stephanie, if you want your hair down, you'll have it down. I'm an expert at hair and makeup. You leave that part to me. You want to accentuate your natural curls?" Ramira asks.

"Yes. I don't know why, but your brother loves my crazy curls."

"If you're wearing your hair down, you can use a clip for one side. Do you want a veil or tiara?"

"No, no veil, no tiara."

"Train?"

"No. I want it simple."

"You got it."

I look at the clock. It's almost three o'clock. I can't believe how fast the day is going. Carlos's sisters and mother are so good to me. I feel like I'm already part of the family. Suddenly, I feel myself stifling a yawn. "Mi hija, you look exhausted. Why don't you go and rest before dinner. Mama and I will help Ella with dinner. You and my granddaughters need your rest."

"No, it's okay. I'll stay. I'm not that tired. "I yawn again.

"Stephanie, you need your rest. You are still on modified bedrest. I know you didn't get enough rest last night." Monica says, looking at Carlos's mark. "Don't make me call Carlos."

"I will get him." Celia yells, "Hey, Ricky, get in here."

"Why do you call him Ricky and not Carlos?" I ask. The girls laugh. "Because he hated it. For a long time, he was the only boy, and being the only boy, he was a little spoiled. So, when we would get mad at him, we'd call him Ricky. He'd would do something stupid and get in trouble and get punished. So, it just kind of stuck."

Hmm, so when I get pissed at him, I'll call him Ricky. He walks in the room.

"Yes my darling Celia, what do you need?"

"Stephanie is practically falling asleep on her feet. You need to get her to bed. I hope you're not keeping her up half the night." Celia responds.

"No, it's the other way around." Carlos replies with a smirk. His grandmother smacks the back of his head. "Carlos." She says sternly.

Carlos takes my hand and helps me up. "Come on Babe, you really need a nap."

We leave and walk up to our bedroom. We enter and he locks to door. "Too many curious kids." He looks at me. "Do you want to get changed?"

"No, I'll just take off the sweater and the pants." I take both off, and then I decide that I'm still not comfortable. I take off the tank top and walk in my bra and panties to get a t-shirt. Carlos walks out of the bathroom and laughs. "I thought you weren't get changed."

"I changed my mind." Before I could slip the t-shirt on, Carlos is behind me and has my bra off and on the floor. His hands are cupping my breast and he's kissing my neck. "Are you too tired for a round?" He asks as his right hand starts to wander down towards my panties.

I am mentally drained and tired, but other parts of me are waking up. "Let's make it quick. I really do need sleep."

"You're wish is my command." He picks me up and carries me to the bed. He gently places me on the bed and pulls off my panties. He bends down to kiss me and our tongues dance. I'm pulling his shirt over his head and I throw it on the floor. I unzip his pants and start to pull them off. He gets up and finishes stripping off his clothes. He lies down and bed next to me and turns me so that my back is to his chest. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me close to him. He's kissing my neck and shoulder and rubbing my breast. I feel his manhood rising against my ass. He pulls my legs up towards chest and pushes inside me. Oh boy, this is different, and good. He releases my legs and slowly pumps himself in and out, in and out. He's still kissing my neck and shoulders, and playing with my nipples. He rubbing and pinching them. His other hands moves to rub my nub. I turn my head so our mouths can meet and we kiss. We keep on kissing while he increases his pace. This feels so comfortable and natural, and is something I would have never tried before. It's not too much longer before we both reach our climax. Once he's sure we are both done, he pulls out. He gets up and grabs his t-shirt from the floor and helps me to put it on before coming back into bed with me. He sets his alarm and he pulls me next to him.

"What made you try that position?" I ask Carlos.

"Mateo said it was a good one for you, especially being that you're pregnant. Less strenuous and less painful as your bump gets bigger."

"Good to know. Te queiro."

"I love hearing Spanish from you. Te queiro, mi amor." We both close our eyes and fall asleep.

I hear the alarm going off. I open my eyes and realize that I am on top of Carlos. It's amazing how I always end up sleeping on him. How he can sleep me with me laying on him I'll never know, though I only imagine as I get bigger it won't happen as much. "I need a shower." I get up and walk into the bathroom. I turn on the water and take off the shirt. I look in the mirror and notice another mark. Damn him. I get in the shower. I'm not even done opening the shampoo when I feel Carlos behind me. "You marked me again. In a visible location. I don't like that. Especially with your family here."

"Babe," he says as he wraps his arms around my waist, "They know we have sex. You're pregnant. We sleep together in the same room. It's not really a secret."

"I know, but showing up with a new mark means that we had sex when we came up here. Now they know that's about all we do."

"We also shower together." He takes the loofah and puts the shower gel on it and proceeds to help wash me and I help him. We also check to make sure that we are fully awake after the nap. I decide to try and blow dry my hair to see if I can tame the curls.

"Why don't you ever leave your hair down without blow drying it? It's so sexy when it's all wild and crazy."

"You mean it's a disaster. It gets all frizzy and I look like I have perm from the 80s."

"No, you don't. I don't want to know about your dress or about what you are going to wear to accessorize on our wedding day, but I would like you to wear your hair down and curly."

"I'll think about it." I finish with about three coats of mascara and lip gloss, and put my red dress back on.

I hear Carlos sigh, "I don't want to go downstairs. I want to unwrap you right now and enjoy my gift."

I laugh. "I don't even know how many times we've done it in the last 24 hours. How come you don't need a rest yet?" I looked a Carlos and added, "When I went off sugar when my sister was getting married, after two nights, Joe needed a break. He locked himself in the guest room. He actually said that maybe you could take up some of the slack in the bedroom before I made a permanent cripple out of him."

"And you didn't let me? He gave you permission, Babe." He said shaking his head. "I was being the good guy. Dumb ass."

"Let's go down to dinner." I decide.

Christmas dinner was a little less chaotic than breakfast because the RangeMan family went to Trenton or elsewhere. It was just me and Carlos's family, with my family, Ella and Luis. I was so grateful to be accepted and I heard lots of stories of Carlos growing up. It was nice to get to learn about the boy, and more about Carlos than Ranger. Suddenly, it was December 30th, and one day before our wedding. We didn't talk much about Morelli escaping because we've been so busy with the wedding plans, but we have to discuss it today. I manage to break away from my new sisters for a little while. I go to the smaller guest house where all the work is being done.

"Well look who finally decided to join us, our new Boss." Lester says as he gives me a hug.

"Hey, Ranger's sisters can be scary. We have a wedding to plan. What can you tell me about Morelli and Connie?"

Tank started to talk. "It seems that Connie helped Morelli to break out of prison. She went to visit him and gave him some drug to give him the appearance of being sick. When they took him in the ambulance to the hospital, she crashed into it and he escaped with her. They looked like they were heading back to Jersey."

"How do we not know where she's hiding? Someone has to know. Someone should be able to lead us to her." I exclaim.

"We have been searching. Hector has been looking everywhere but can't find anything."

"Tank, do you think Connie knows where we are?" Carlos asks.

"No, we don't think so. Once you were shot, Hector buried the paperwork and did some fancy switching of documents so that this place won't connect to you or Steph. It was much harder because you put this house in your name and Steph's." Bobby replied.

"Carlos, I think we need to go back to Trenton. The only way that we are going to get her, and now Joe, is to become visible. She wants to go after both of us. She can't if we are hiding here, and I don't want her to find this house. I love it here, and I want to always feel safe here. Maybe, in a few days, we can go home to Trenton. Official re-emerge as Mr. and Mrs. Manoso. That may be enough to at least push Morelli over."

"I agree, I think we need to do that, but I'm worried about your safety, Steph. You have our daughters to worry about, too." Carlos adds.

"I know, but I can be covered. We both need to be covered. You can't go out alone either. Monica or Bobby will be my direct partner every time I leave HQ. You need to pick two people to shadow you, plus our back-up."

"Babe, I don't need a body guard."

"You don't think these two little girls inside me need their father?" I ask with my hands on my hips. "If I have to be smothered with backups and body guards for _my_ safety, then so do you. You are still recovering from being shot. Stop being macho and be smart."

"Ranger, Steph is right. I will partner with you, as always and we'll take Lester, he's expendable." Tank jokes.

"Hey, I matter too. Just because I'm not as big as you two doesn't mean that I'm not important."

"Lester, you are man enough for us." Monica says as she points to me and herself.

"Fine. We leave on January 5th. No arguments Steph."

I take a deep breath. "Okay. I can deal with that, be we leave my Bentleys here. I don't want them to blow up."

Suddenly, my phone rings. I ignore the call. Then, Carlos's phone rings. "Yo."

"Si, mama. ""Lo siento." Carlos hangs up.

"I am ordered to bring everyone up to the house for our rehearsal and dinner. If we are not there in 4 minutes, I'm in trouble, and Steph, no dessert for you."

"Then why are we still sitting here?"

I jump up and run to the main house. I enter the living room and we get ready for our rehearsal. Bobby is giving me away, and I go to meet him in the back room. We walk through the ceremony without a hitch and then sit down for dinner. After dinner, Tank drags Carlos into the larger guest house where they guys will have a mini-stag party while I'm stuck with the women. We would try to sneak out, but we know we would get caught. Hector probably has every exit monitored.

I wake up and it's time to get ready. My dress is gorgeous and fits me perfectly. It's everything I could ever want in a gown. My bridesmaids are wearing light blue A-line dresses with a strapless sweetheart neck, and Monica, my maid of honor, is wearing the same dress only in a darker blue. Ramira gets my hair to cooperate and it looks amazing. Carlos is getting his wish for my hair to be down. She applies light make-up and I look like a million bucks. I have to put my engagement on my right hand for the ceremony, then I can move it back to my left hand.

Finally, the time has come. The house looks beautiful, and everyone is ready to watch Carlos and I get married. Bobby and I start our walk down the foyer into the living room. Carlos is looking down and then looks up at me. I see a huge smile light up his face when he sees me. He looks straight to our girls before meeting my eyes. I'm looking at him and don't even see anyone else in the room. The ceremony is happening, but I'm not paying attention. I'm just waiting for the moment we say I do. We repeat our vows and then finally, place our rings on each other's finger. I am married to Batman. The justice of the peace announces. "I would now to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Manoso. Now, you may kiss your bride." Carlos wraps his arms around my neck and waist and I put mine around his neck. We pull each other close and kiss deeply, but quickly. We walk back down the aisle and get ready to start our celebration. We have a buffet set up, courtesy of Ella and Marisol, and everyone is enjoying themselves. It's time to cut the cake. Carlos feeds me my piece first, and he's gentle. I smash the piece in his face. He doesn't each cake anyway, so it's no loss on him. I then get to help him clean up by eating a piece or two of cake off him.

"Babe, payback."

"It's worth it."

The night is over and we had a blast. It was very informal, but perfect for us. His family is heading back to Newark tonight, and most of the Rangeman staff is leaving. Only Bobby, Monica, Hector, Lester and Miguel are staying. We will join everyone in five days. We watch the ball drop on TV in Times Square before we start our personal celebration.


	24. Chapter 24--Back in Trenton

Chapter 24—Back in Trenton

The day has arrived for us to leave SP for the time being. I'm going to miss being here. It is a beautiful home and the place where I want to spend the spring and summer with our girls. But, we are ready to nab Morelli and Connie, because we just aren't safe leaving our estate. We're riding back to Trenton in Ranger's Cayenne, and Ella has the apartment all ready for us. Bobby and Monica are driving behind us while Lester and Hector are in front. We make it to the RangeMan building without any problems. Carlos grabs Rex's cage while Bobby grabs our bags as we head to the elevator to go home to seven. Carlos fobs us in, and we start to settle. Then, we go down to five to greet everyone.

I feel a little overwhelmed when I see that I have a new office next to Tank's office. It has a beautiful desk with a state of the art computer and printer, a small conference table, coffee maker and mini-fridge. There's an arrangement of red, pink and white roses on the cabinet on the opposite side of my office from my chair, and I have a window. I turn to Carlos and ask, "Why do I have an office here?"

"Babe, now that we are married, RangeMan is also yours. Tank and I have discussed it already, and you deserve to play a significant role in the company. I would like you to meet with clients, especially our clients who want our services for their homes. You understand how a household runs better than Tank and me and could help to smooth over reluctant wives who will feel we are invading their privacy. You have good instincts, and you know how to read people. You will need to visit their homes and help to design their security plan. If you want, you can also do research. This will give you an opportunity to work mostly in the building, but will not keep you chained to the desk. You will be able to talk to people and leave for business meetings, but you will be safe. In addition, we want you to help us with hiring staff, especially for sales. You have better interpersonal skills and will know if someone is truly genuine or full of crap. You will be a first interviewer. If you approve, then they will move on to Tank or myself. This way, you can work and feel like you are earning everything I plan on giving you. If you don't feel comfortable or want to change your job descriptions, just let me know so we can discuss it. I know that you need to work, and I know that you will be good at it."

I'm a little overwhelmed. I am glad that Carlos has this set up for me because I would be bored doing nothing, but I'm not sure a fully qualified for the client meetings. "Carlos, I love the idea of me doing this job, but I don't know anything about designing home security systems. How can I meet with clients to do something I know nothing about?"

"Initially, Tank or I will accompany you and help you to learn the ropes. I can also show you some of the blueprints and plans for our existing clients. That will help you to see what you need to know. You, as the point person will give us the time to concentrate on our corporate clients, who are in need of regular updates to their systems as well as obtaining new clients."

"Okay. I guess I can try the job and see how it works. Am I going to get a regular check?"

"Babe, sit down please." He walks to phone and dials and number. "Steph's office, please." He hangs up.

A moment later, Tank walks in. "What's up, Boss?"

"Can you please explain the situation to Steph."

"Okay. No problem." Tank sighed and looked from Carlos to me and back to Carlos.

 **Tank's POV**

Why does he want me to explain this to Stephanie? It should come from Ranger. But again, this is Stephanie we're talking about; she'll think he's giving her a handout. Maybe when she realizes this was my idea she'll be more receptive. How can you explain to someone that they are a partner in a firm without working in that firm and moving up the ranks? So, I look between Ranger and Stephanie and decide it's time to begin.

"Stephanie, when you told Ranger that you were not going to chase skips anymore while you were pregnant, I knew that you would need some job. Ranger had envisioned you doing research, but I know that you would be bored doing that 24/7. In the past, you have helped us to develop a security system for a family, as well as helped us find a weakness in our company. With those two experiences and the difficulties that we are having with some of our residential clients, I felt that having a woman on staff to deal with them would put them at ease. We thought about hiring someone for a while, but there aren't many women out there who would want to be one of the only female members on staff, and who would be comfortable with many of the men we employ. You, having worked with and around us for a few years, are comfortable here. Monica was also someone we considered, but her skill set puts her better in the field. She would be too restricted in the office job. I felt that having you in that position would be ideal. First, you are not intimidated by Ranger or myself, which many women are, and secondly, you know people. You can read them. You have skills that we cannot teach or train. With your research abilities, you would be able to understand what a client needs or wants. So, I talked Ranger into offering you the position." I pause and look at Stephanie. She seems to be handling the explanation well. Now, for the hard part.

"Initially, you were going to be a salaried employee, but once you and Ranger became engaged, that idea seemed ridiculous. prenuptial To write a check from RangeMan to pay you is stupid."

"But why? I don't understand how the fact that Ranger and I are married has any relevance to me drawing a salary from your company." Stephanie stated.

I sighed again. "You and Ranger did not sign a pre-nuptial agreement. Ranger asked if I wanted him to have you sign one so that I could safeguard my stake in the company, but I told him that if he didn't need one for his personal property, then I didn't need one for RangeMan. I trust the both of you." I pause again. "Stephanie, you have shown immense loyalty and dedication to RangeMan, as well as to Ranger and myself. You had helped the company when we needed the help. I decided that adding you on as a partner would only make sense. Now, Ranger and I will each hold a 40% state in the company. Your share would be 20% so that we will make all decisions together. I know that you will not just agree with Ranger for the sake of stroking his ego. I know that if you don't think that something is a good idea, regardless of whose idea it is, you will always express yourself. You are the only person, aside from me, whoever challenges Ranger's commands. We often need a tie breaker, and you can help to be that person. So, as a partner in the company, it would be stupid for you to draw a salary. You will get paid, but as an owner of RangeMan, Inc."

Stephanie looks like a deer in headlights. She seems, for once, to be without words.

"Babe, are you okay?" Ranger seems to snap her back into the room.

 **Stephanie's POV**

I can't believe what Tank is saying. I am going to be a partner in RangeMan! I am going to own part of this company. I don't get it. I haven't done anything to earn this. I feel a little trapped. I know that this is making Carlos happy, but what if I want to do something different than work here. What if I decided that I want to be a stay at home mom (eek)? How can I own something that I know virtually nothing about how it runs? How do I explain how I feel to these two amazing men who decided without consulting me? I take a deep breath.

"Tank, Ranger, I appreciate the offer, and I find it to be generous and wonderful, but I don't want to be a partner. I don't understand everything that happens here, behind the scenes. I don't even know everything that the company does. I have no problem with my new job, but I'd rather draw a salary than be an owner. What if I decide that I don't want to work here or that I don't want to work at all? How could a partner just decide not to work at their company? I would feel obligated always to work here even when I no longer want to."

"Babe, both Tank and I have been away for months at a time for work that is not necessarily related to RangeMan business. We still make money. I will always talk to you about the company and seek your opinion simply because you are my wife and important decisions will affect you. However, you like working, and the work would be yours is work you can do without being here every day. You can work from home or here, and you get to go out and meet people. However, if at some point in the future you feel that you don't want to be an owner anymore, your share will revert to Tank and I. We will compensate you for your share, but Tank and I will be 50-50 owners once more. What do you think?"

I think that the conditions are fair, and I agree to the terms. They already have a contract drawn up. Now, I have to read it and sign it. Once that is done, we move onto business.

"What are we going to do about Connie and Morelli? Are there any leads? Has anyone seen them?"

"No, it's strange how they could both drop off the face of the Earth. The fact that Hector can't find them." It doesn't make sense. Carlos wants to say it, but can't.

"I need to get out of here for a while. I want to visit around town a little. Let people see I'm back and let them see my wedding band. Let's start getting to the word out that I'm now Stephanie Manoso." I inform Carlos and Tank.

"Steph, I can't go with you right now. It's too dangerous to be on your own." Carlos says.

"I'll take Monica with me. I'll be a girl's day out. Maybe we can even get to the mall."

"I'll put Cal and Hal on them as well. It will be extra protection but from a distance." Tank added.

"That's cool. I can handle that." I take out my phone and text Monica. She replies, "See you downstairs in 10."

"Monica is meeting me in the garage in 10. Let me go upstairs and get my stuff."

Carlos gets up and follows me. We open the door to seven. "I want you to take your gun and stun gun. Wear them. Wear a jacket to cover them. Remember, back to the wall. Always be aware."

He kisses me and says, "Stay safe, babe."

"Back at you." I smile and walk out of the apartment.

I meet Monica in the garage along with Cal and Hal. "Where are we going, Steph?"

"I want to visit some popular stores in the neighborhood. Let's start with Tasty Pastry, then Giovichinni's, finally, Quakerbridge Mall." I answer.

"Sounds like fun!" Monica replies.

Monica and I get in my Mercedes to hit the town with Cal and Hal following discretely in a fleet vehicle. We get to Tasty Pastry and enter. Success!

Inside, I find Angie Morelli and Grandma Bella. Two of the best people to see on my first day back. Angie looks at me with Monica and says, "Well, if it isn't the little slut carrying those bastard's babies. I always knew your children would be born in sin. I'm just glad that they're not my Joseph's. He knows to marry his woman before having children."

Great. Now I can finally tell Angie off. "First off, these children are my husband's children, so they will not be born in sin. Secondly, Joe is going to have a child as well, when my sister Valerie gives birth, then he will be a father. Only, it will be a child born in sin because he had an affair with a married woman who is now, twice divorced. And, regarding Joe marrying his woman, he never even proposed to me the proper way, with a ring, until after it was too late. He would only propose to get me in his bed. So, you will not call me a slut or say any more disparaging remarks about my husband, Ranger, or my girls." I turn to the girl behind the counter and order two dozen assorted donuts. It was then that Grandma Bella looked at me.

"You, you are a slut. You broke my Joseph's heart and put him in jail. You ruined his life." She points at me, "I curse you, I curse you that those brats."

I cut off her statement, "Stop being a silly old woman and stop thinking that you can curse anyone. Your grandson broke into my home and tried to kidnap me. He made that plea deal and got himself in jail. And, he broke out of jail and is on the run. He ruined his own life, not me. If he truly loved me, then he would have let me go, especially seeing how happy I am with my husband, Ranger. If he would have been the one to end he relationship and married someone else, I would have been sad and hurt, but I would let him go if that made him happy. I would try to kidnap him or sabotage his relationship. But for a man who supposedly loved me, he cheated on me by having sex with Connie, Mary Lou, Joyce Barnhardt, Terry Gilman, and my sister Valerie. And those are only the women I know about; I'm sure the list is much longer. I'm not innocent because I did cheat on Joe too, but I only cheated on him with one man, and that was my husband. But your grandson is a pig and has been since high school and you two, his mother and grandmother, have allowed his to disrespect women and abuse women. That is the man you raised. Do you know that he molested me when I was six? That he raped me and took away my virginity at sixteen, in this store behind that counter? Do you know that during our relationship he would rape me repeatedly? That is the man that you raised. He is so like his father and the rest of the Morelli men. He's not different; he just hides it better. It took for me to meet a real man, one who never yells at me or calls me a disaster to realize how much a loser Joe was and how screwed up our relationship was. My husband would never make me sleep with him if I didn't want to, he would never molest a girl, he would never force himself on a girl or woman. All Ranger has ever done is protect me and say that he is proud of me. He loves me for me; he doesn't need me to be a barefoot and pregnant, as a housewife in the Burg. He'll let me be who I want to be and will support me. So, instead of cursing my unborn, innocent girls, why don't you curse your pig of a grandson that his thing will fall off and he'll have to celibate for the rest of his life."

I took my donuts, handed over my new Black card with Stephanie Manoso written on it, and paid for my donuts. Once I signed, Monica and I left the store. Bella and Angie were dumbstruck and embarrassed. I had a feeling I would be getting a call from my mother soon.

"Well, that went well," Monica said, laughing.

"That went better than I expected. I didn't think I'd run into Morelli's mother and grandmother, but I'm glad I did. That will get the Burg gossip grapevine going. I know by the time we get to our next stop, everyone will know about the conversation. So, let's go to Giovichinni's." With that, I pull out of the lot to we drive to our next destination.

We when arrive, I get out of the car with Monica. Together, we walk in. We get to the deli counter to purchase some cold cuts. I saw Julie Barkaloski, who was a year ahead of me. "Why if it isn't Stephanie Plum." She said sarcastically.

"Why Julie, long time no see, so you wouldn't know it's Stephanie Manoso now." I said while using my left hand to adjust a stray hair. Once she saw my wedding band and engagement ring, her mouth dropped.

"So, the rumors _are_ true; you did screw over Joseph Morelli to marry that 'security' expert." She said with a wink.

"Yes, I did marry one of the partners of RangeMan Security. However, I didn't do it to hurt Joe. Joe and I were not meant to be together. He isn't the right man for me."

"You mean he's impotent? That would be the only reason I would have for not being with that man. He had skills when he was 19 that I still haven't found a man to have now."

I sighed. Another one of his high school conquests. "No, he's not impotent. He does have some skills between the sheets, but my husband is so much better. Joe didn't have the stamina to keep up with me. While he was great, my husband is magic. No one could ever compare."

I took my meats and went to the register. Gina Giovichinni was there. Those she was married she was still referred to by her maiden name. "I heard you told off Angie and Bella Morelli."

"I did. It felt great, too. That crazy old witch was trying to curse my girls." I said as I rubbed my bump.

"That's sick. I don't know how you put up with Joe all those years. Just thinking about having to deal with Mrs. Morelli and Grandma Bella kept me far away from Joe and his brothers."

"I hear you. It wasn't easy. I would try to get out of family events whenever I could."

"Congratulations on your marriage, if the rumor is true."

"Thanks, and yes, it is true. Ranger and I got married on New Year's Eve. It was a small ceremony at our friend's house. We only had about fifty people there. Mostly his family and our closest friends."

"Your parents and sister weren't there?"

"No. My mother doesn't approve of my husband. My sister slept with Morelli while we were still together, and is, in fact, having his child. They aren't my family anymore." I respond and hand over my black card. I see Gina's eye open wide, but she knows better than to comment, though I know the word will get out that I have the ultimate credit card. She hands it back to me, I pay, and Monica and I leave.

"That was fun. I love this day!" I said.

"Ready for some real shopping?" Monica asks.

"Yup. Ready sis." Just then my phone rings. My mother.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, how dare you yell out Angie Morelli and Grandma Bella. What have they ever done to you? You are an embarrassment to the Plum name. You need to come over here and explain yourself before you call and apologize to Joe's mother and grandmother."

"First off, Ellen, my name is Stephanie Michelle Manoso. So, I am not embarrassing the Plum name, as I am no longer a Plum. Secondly, I will not apologize to those women. Thirdly, you are no longer my mother."

"How dare you. You better be here for dinner tonight. Your sister needs you and so does your grandmother. If you don't come, I'll have you arrested and brought here by the cops."

"Fine. But this will be my last visit." I hang up and call Carlos.

"Yo."

"Yo yourself."

"Babe, what's up?"

"We have to go to the Plum house for dinner. She only invited me, but you're coming. Ellen got wind that I told off Joe's mom and Grandma Bella and she wants to rant and rave at me. Claims that Saint Val need me, as well as my grandmother."

"Does she know were married?"

"I told her my name was Stephanie Michelle Manoso, so yes, she should know."

"We'll be there. How's your Spidey sense?"

"It's buzzing. Something will go down."

"So, Kevlar for the both of us. We'll put it on under our regular clothes to disguise it."

"Fun times. Okay, Monica and I are heading to the mall. See you at 4:30 in the apartment. Love you, Carlos."

"Love you too, Babe."


	25. Chapter 25 Dinner at the Plums

Chapter 25—Dinner at the Plums

Monica and I go to Macy's and I find a great maternity dress. It's perfect for me. I feel sexy in it and it covers my bump without making me feel like I'm huge yet. It is black a black wrap style dress that stops about two inches above my knees. I buy a three-inch pair of black knee length boots to go with it. Lately, I'm better at walking in boots than heels. I guess my pregnant body has something to do with it. We then go to Victoria's Secret. I need a few new bras. My old ones are getting a little tight. Being pregnant is great, I'm gaining some cleavage! I buy a few new sets and decide to get a couple of things for Carlos. Maybe I'll wear one tonight. Monica also buys some nighties and a new bra and panty set.

"How are things between you and Bobby?"

"They're heating up. He's been better since I stopped having to flirt with Morelli. I guess he didn't really like watching that."

"I can understand. I know I go nuts with women constantly flaunt over Carlos and just ignore me. But, I try to remember that he's in my bed next to me at night."

"I hear you. I guess it's a guy thing."

"Does Carlos have you and Bobby backing us up tonight along with Tank, Lester, Cal and Hal?"

"Yup. I got the text. What do you think is going to happen?"

"I think, at minimum, Morelli will be there. I wouldn't put it past my mother for siding with him and helping him. I also wouldn't be surprised if his mother and grandmother make an appearance. Connie is involved somehow. I just can't see where she fits in."

"Ranger is taking the Turbo tonight. He wants to be able to better out run anyone, and wants to try and keep the Cayenne in one piece for your girls. I think he realizes that when he goes out with you and the girls, his Turbo driving days are over."

I laugh. He would be thinking of that already. I'm going to miss the Turbo, too, truth be told. It is a sexy car and great ride.

"Did I ever tell you that Carlos and I did it in the Turbo once?"

"What? How is that possible? And why would you?" Monica is staring at me waiting to hear.

"Well, it's actually thanks to Grandma Bella. She put the vordo curse on me which made me really horny. Carlos had found Lula and I by Stark Street. He asked where I parked, and as usual, my car was gone, but the Turbo was there. He was giving me a ride, and when I got into the car, I remember smelling his scent and the leather seats, and I really wanted him. I asked if he ever did it in a Turbo and he thought it would be impossible. I thought it was possible. He tried to see if I would wait until we got back to HQ, but I couldn't, so he parked in an alley and I got out, ran to his side, opened his door and straddled him with the door open. I honked the horn a few times, but we managed to play hide the salami."

"Wow. Bobby suspected that happened, but you didn't confirm with him."

"What do you think, I'm stupid? I only told you because you're a woman and would understand better. And won't tell all of the guys."

"You got that right." She paused before continuing, "Was it worth it."

"Oh yeah…it definitely was." I laughed as a thought back on that day. "For both of us."

We arrived back at HQ at 4:20, so I was on time to meet with Carlos. Being late would mean a phone call and a check on the trackers. It felt good to be back in Trenton. The guys helped carry my purchases into the building. We got up to seven and I took the clothes from them. "The donuts are for the break room. I'll bring them down with you so Ranger doesn't yell."

I saw their faces light up and I knew I did the right thing. Carlos will just have to allow a treat for his men once a month, to start. I take the boxes from Tasty Pastry and we take the elevator to five. We get off at five and I walk into the break room. I see eyes follow me as I walk with the donuts. I put them down on the counter and start to open them up. I see three guys start to edge their way towards the breakroom when they see Carlos walk out of his office and into the break room. They all look forward and pretend not to notice. I see the smirk in his eyes.

"What's this, Babe?" he asks.

"Donuts, for the guys. Listen, Ranger, I know that you don't like dessert and feel that it is not a necessary part of the food pyramid, but you know it's the base of mine. These guys work hard and always have both my back and yours. I feel that they should get a treat every occasionally. So, here is a treat from me to thank them for all their support. Let them enjoy a donut. It won't kill them. This could be monthly thing. It will help to build morale and give a little something for them to look forward to when things are boring or stressful."

He looks as me, shakes his head, and laughs. "Fine. But ONLY once a month."

"Deal."

"Why don't you tell them?"

"You should. They won't eat them until you give the okay."

"Fine." He walked out onto the control floor and started to talk to them.

"Gentleman, it seems that my wife feels that you should be rewarded for all of your hard work and loyalty to myself and Stephanie. So, therefore, she bought you donuts. She has also decided that once a month you deserve dessert, so she will be buying donuts for you monthly. You better enjoy them while you can."

"Thanks Steph, you're the bomb." Ram said before giving me a hug.

"You welcome. You guys really work hard, and in a sometimes boring and stressful environment. Having something to look forward helps to make the day go by faster. Just don't eat too many that you fall asleep at the monitors or Ranger won't allow them anymore." I added.

With that, Carlos and I left the floor and returned to seven. He entered the living room and saw the four bags from Victoria's Secret. "Four bags, Babe?"

"Yes. My bras are getting too tight."

"I've noticed the change. Will they stay like that?"

"I don't know. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. My cousin went from an A cup to a DD after her third kid. Valerie returned to her pre-baby cup size."

"Well, I love you regardless, but it is nice." Men. Only concerned about the size of by breasts. I shake my head.

"So, what else did you buy?"

"Stuff. I got a dress and a couple of shirts from Macys that are more professional and black and some skirts. I also got boots."

I started to put my stuff away and Carlos saw the bag with the nighties. He started to look at them one at a time. He picked up the red one with the lace bodice and strategically place flowers with the match thong and walked over to me. "I'd like to see this one on you. Can you model it for me?" He asks as he leans down and kisses me.

I gently push him away. "Woo boy, down." I say laughing. "I'll model it for you tonight when we get home. I need to take a shower and start to get ready for dinner."

I had some assistance in the shower and was not only clean, but incredibly relaxed. I put on Carlos's bathrobe and dried my hair. I wore it down for Carlos. I added about four layers of mascara, a little blue eye liner, and raspberry lip gloss. Then, I walked into the closet. I put on a new pair of black lace bikini panties and its matching black lace bra. I then put the dress on. I got a pair of boot socks and put them on. I was putting the boots when Carlos walked in.

"Let me help you." He knelt and took by boot. He gently put it on my foot and then zipped it up. He repeated with the second boot. Then, he let his hands run up my legs to where they met the hem of the skirt. He leans in and kisses my bump, then each breast, before he reaches that spot just below my ear that drives me crazy. "I love this dress and those boots. My very sexy mama." He kisses my lips and I momentarily forget where we are going.

He takes my hand and helps me up. "We don't want to be late. We don't want to be the reason why the meat is over cooked and the food is destroyed." Carlos says. I roll my eyes.

We stop in the bedroom where he places the necklace and earring from Christmas on me. He is wearing his platinum wedding band with three diamonds like he always does along with the watch I gave him. "Thank you, Carlos."

"Thank you for what?"

"Being you and wearing the watch I got you. For loving me, for marrying me."

"You're welcome, but I should be thanking you instead." We kiss gently and tenderly and I rest my head on his chest. We just stand there for a few moments, content to be held in each other's arms. "Let go. We have six people waiting for us." With that we head down to the garage.

We get into the turbo and Carlos gives me my watch that I forgot to put on. "Remember, you have the panic button. Monica has your back and Tank mine. Cal and Hal are in front and will watch the cars, and Lester and Bobby will be in the back."

"Monica and Tank are coming in?"

"Yes. No surprised tonight."

"No Kevlar, either. Tank talked me out of it, though I'm not sure that was a good idea."

"I think Tank is right. Joe wants me alive. Connie wants you alive. If they can separate us and take us away from each other, that's what they'll do."

"I know you're both right, but I don't have to like it."

We pull up in front of my house. I have such a mixed rush of emotions. I see so many scenes playing out in my mind. My mom yelling at me for being around the Morelli boys and having my skirt in my inside out panties. My sister being hugged after she fell and bruised her hand while I cut my knee when she crashed into me while riding out bikes. My mom yelling at me again for coming home crying from work after Joe took my virginity. My mom telling me I was a bad wife who didn't know how to properly satisfy my husband when I can home after I found him and Joyce doing the tango on my dining room table. My mom telling me Joe Morelli was my only hope at being successful. My mom telling me Ranger is a thug and he is not welcomed. My mom pushing Dave on me, even though I don't like him. Then I hear his voice. "Babe, where did you go. They're waiting for you."

"I'm sorry, I was just remembering the hell that this house has been at times." He pulls me into a hug and kisses my head. "I'm here with you. She can't hurt you anymore. I love you, Babe."

I sigh and we start the walk up to the door, hand in hand. Monica and Tank follow behind us. I see my mother, grandmother, and Valerie all waiting for me. "I only invited you, Stephanie." My mother said while glaring at Carlos.

"My husband will always accompany me to this house, along with my sister and brother." I see the steam rise from my mother's head, but she moves back and lets us in. "Valerie, set another three place settings, would you?" She asks.

Valerie moves away from us and complies. Grandma can't look at me. We know that she spoke of our home to others and gossiped about me. I no longer love her, or any of the people in this room. We sit at the table, with Carlos on my right and Monica my left. Tank is on Carlos's right. My dad is at the head of the table. Valerie and grandma are on the other side while my mother sits opposite my dad. There are still three more place settings. I look to Valerie. "Where are the girls?"

"Living with their fathers. It seems the courts feel I'm an unfit mother. It's all Mary Alice's fault. She said that I hate her and was never nice to her. She said that I treated her the way everyone treats her Aunt Stephanie and that Aunt Stephanie is the only one who truly loves her and understands her."

"Well, at least she'll be allowed to fly and not live in an abusive household." I reply.

"How dare you" Ellen started before the door opened. I guess we'll find out who the extra settings are for. I hear the witch's voice.

"Hello Ellen. Did that little slut of a daughter come?" It was Angie Morelli.

"Yes, she's here, with _company_."

Angie Morelli, Bella Morelli, and Joe all walk into the dining room. I see Joe's eyes immediately look at me, then Monica, and finally Carlos. He hides his anger and surprise, though I see it in his eye.

"Manoso, what the fuck are you doing here." His mother gives him the death glare. "Sorry Mrs. Plum."

"To who are you referring, Joe?" I ask.

"You know I'm referring to the psychopath sitting next to you. He's the only Manoso in the room."

"I guess you haven't heard. We're married. So, you could be referring to me, especially since Ellen and Frank no longer considered me a Plum."

"What are you talking about, Cupcake. You are not married to that thug."

"Yes, we are married. I am Mrs. Ricardo Manoso. You may call me Stephanie or Mrs. Manoso, but not 'Cupcake'." I pause, then decide to try and play host. "And because Ellen seems to have forgotten her hostess duties, this is Monica and Tank. Monica, Tank, that is Mrs. Bella Morelli, Joe's grandmother and Mrs. Angie Morelli, Joe's mother. You both, of course, know Joe."

"Intimately." Monica replies. "Though forgettable."

"I totally understand. I have to agree with that statement. Who would think that the playboy of Trenton would be so, vanilla?" I respond.

"You didn't think that when you would cry out my name or beg for more." He added.

"That was before I discovered magic. I was limited in my experience. An ex-husband and long-term boyfriend wasn't much to compare. Dickie was even worse, if you could imagine that." I stop and look at Ellen and Frank. "What are they doing here. Why did you invite me here?"

"Because, little miss, you need to apologize to Angie and Bella and you need to marry Joseph. You need to be married before those babies are born. They cannot be born out of wedlock. You don't want to make Valerie's mistake."

I sigh and shake my head. She really is dense. "Ellen, I am already married. I am married to the father of my little girls. He is sitting next to me. I cannot marry Joseph because bigamy is against the law. In addition, harboring a fugitive is also against the law. Just because you never wanted me, just because Frank isn't my father, isn't a valid reason for fucking up my life. I didn't choose to be conceived. I didn't choose to b born, but I was. I deserved to be loved and cared for like Valerie. I deserved to be treated well. Not treated worse than a dog. I understand why you hate me, but what I don't understand is why, now that you are finally rid of the bratty child that belongs to Jimmy Rizzoli why you still care what I do with my life. So, you were raped. Yes, it's horrible. I know what you went through. And yes, you found out you were pregnant. I understand how you felt. Even more so than you could possibly imagine, but why did you choose to hate me before getting to know me? Why was it okay for me to be molested by Joe Morelli at six? Why was it okay for me to be raped on the floor of Tasty Pastry and lose my virginity to Joseph Morelli? You never went to anyone about his actions, you punished me. I was the slut. I was the whore. I was never the victim. Why was it okay for Dickie to cheat on me but it wasn't okay for me to walk away from him? You harmed me in so many ways that I no longer feel anything for the four of you standing in this room who are my 'family'. You made me believe that it was okay to be continually raped by my long-term boyfriend because the men were always right and it was the women's job to satisfy her man. Did you tell that to Valerie? Or did she get a different lesson? It wasn't until I was away from you and undergoing therapy that I finally realized how screwed up I was. It wasn't until I met a man who treats me like I'm his queen that I understand how to I should have always been treated."

I stop and turn to face Joe. "Joe, if you want to be married so desperately, want to have a child so badly, and want to be part of the Plum family, you should marry my sister. She is carrying your child. Make her honest woman instead of the joke of the Burg. But, then again, I think that you are both already the jokes of the Burg."

"Valerie, you were my sister, but you never tried to support me. You were always embarrassed by me. But, when you needed it, I gave you my apartment for your family. I helped you when you were getting married, though I was a little preoccupied, and I looked up to you. And still, Miss Perfect, Saint Valerie had to go and fuck my boyfriend. I now have four wonderful sisters-in-law and my real sister, here, sitting next to me. I don't need you.

"Joseph Morelli, I am sorry for not being honest with you. In my heart, I have known for a long time that I didn't love you. I loved the idea of us, and I loved the high school version of you, the guy that every girl wanted. But, if I was honest with myself, I would have told you a long time ago that I wasn't _in love with you_. I have been in love with Carlos for a long time. Since that first night that we were together. It was the night that I found Soder in my apartment. He came to me that night to share some intel, and we wound up in my bed. From that night, I knew that he was the man I loved. We were in one of our many off periods, and he told me to patch up my relationship with you. I didn't realize at the time that he was trying to protect me, but he was. When Valerie was getting married and I was off sugar, you actually told me to sleep with Carlos because you couldn't keep up with me. That was a clue that you didn't really love me. Then, after Scrog, I totally knew that I was in love Carlos. Your grandmother cursed me with vordo, and that was the next time that Carlos and I were together. Immediately following that was Hawaii. You never asked what happened between Carlos and I, and I think it was because you already knew and wanted to keep you head in the sand. Out next time was in Disney, when we went to get Bogart. In between, there were the kisses in the alley, the opportunistic touches and play. I always felt guilty and would try pull away, and I know I was a fool because you were out there humping anything with two legs and a chest. You never really fought for me. I think you liked me to be your public persona, because you felt that as long as I was playing with Carlos on the side, you could play too, but I don't think you realized how few times we were actually together." I look at Carlos, and he is sitting back in his seat. I could tell that he was proud of me. "The fact that you tried to kidnap me with the intentions of killing the two little girls that are growing inside me showed me your true colors. You are a selfish, egotistical, macho, entitled, sex-driven predator who never loved me. I'm sorry I wasted so many years living in the land of denial. Fortunately, I don't have to live there ever again because reality is so much better than denial land."

With that, we heard and knock on the front door and Carl Constanza's voice. "Mrs. Plum, sorry to interrupt but we heard that Joseph Morelli is here. I need to enter." Joe went to run out the back but Carlos and Tank were up in an instant and had Joe restrained and seated before Carl finished his sentence. "Morelli, you have no idea how rewarding it is to hand you over to the cops and watch you get sent back to prison. However, I want to warn you, if you _ever_ go near my wife again, or try to harm her in any way, if you ever go near or try to harm our children, I will hunt you down and kill you. You dumb fuck couldn't see that every time you yelled at Stephanie instead of consoling her, that every time your tried to change her you were pushing her away. I just want to thank you, though, for that shower rod incident when you were FTA. That night, Steph called _me_ to help her, and I knew, that if I played my cards right, she could be my wife, and now she is."

Carl put his cuffs on Morelli before Carlos removed his. "Thanks for the assist. Who was harboring him?"

"Well, obviously his mother and grandmother. Ellen knew where he was, being that she invited him here. I just have one question for him before you take him away."

"Okay Steph, I can give you a minute."

"Where's Connie, what's her angle in all this?"

"Isn't it obvious, she wants Manoso. She hates you and want you miserable. You ruined her life. You being born destroyed her parent's marriage and took away her status. She wants you gone."

"Where is she?"

"That, Cupcake, I don't know."

With that, Carl took Morelli away. Big Dog and Eddie Gazarra took Angie Morelli and Grandma Bella away. Grandma Bella was yelling her usual curses out. "Oh, shut UP already, old lady. You are a waste of human being." Grandma Mazur finally said.

I turned to her and said, "Edna, you are no longer welcomed to stay in my old apartment. We are no longer paying the rent. Effective tonight, you are evicted. Your personal belongings will be delivered here momentarily. You continued to disrespect Carlos and I and our privacy after we asked you not to. You are no longer my grandmother. None of you here are my family anymore. You are free of the unwanted, hated Stephanie that you were forced to deal with for the last 33 years. Carlos, let's go have dinner with our real family."

With that, Carlos takes my hand and we walk out together with Tank in front of us and Monica behind us. We get to the car and Carlos asks, "Back to seven for dinner?"

"Yes, with my sister and my brothers."

"Cal, Hall, Tank, Lester, Bobby, and Monica, come join us on seven for dinner. Ella made a spread for us. I know we are all hungry. I think there is even dessert."

"I'm in." Monica exclaims. The rest of the men join in. They start to walk to their cars. Carlos and I get into the Cayenne and we drive off to our home. During the ride, Carlos says, "I am so proud of you, Babe, for sticking up for yourself and not allowing them to bring you down. I just wish you didn't give our sexual history to everyone. If the guys ever find out that you spent all those nights here and we never did it, my reputation will be ruined."

I laugh. "I don't think you have to worry about Monica or Tank sharing that information."

"It's Tank who I'm worried about."

With that, we pull up to HQ and fob our way in. As we park the car we hear a loud bang and see a car crashing through the partially closed gate. It's Connie.


	26. Chapter 26--The Reason

Chapter 26—The Reason

 **Tank's POV**

What the hell is that noise? FUCK! It's Connie. Why is that crazy bitch crashing into the gates? She'll be lucky to be alive. I look at Monica. We need to get Ranger and Steph into the elevator and on seven. Stephanie will kill me if I let anything happen to Ranger and he will kill Monica if something happens to Steph. We run over to the Cayenne and each grab our quarry. "Come on, Ranger, we to secure you and your woman."

"Let go of me, Tank. Just make sure that Steph is secure. I'm going after that bitch."

"No, Ranger, you are not. You need to stay with Steph on seven. Remember, no stress. She's going to go ballistic if you leave her side. Think of your little girls, Ranger, think of your girls." I pushing him towards the elevator. Monica already has Steph there and is telling me to hurry. Easy for her, her target is willing to go. My target is fighting. I finally manage to push him into the elevator and fob it up to seven. I set the lock so that he can't ride it down. I call control. "Make sure Ranger does not get down to the garage until I clear it." I hang up the phone. No one will disobey my order. Now, to go get that crazy, psychotic bitch.

 **Monica's POV**

Oh no, not again. I think maybe I should go back to Boston. Only my sister here could get in trouble as much as she does, and in the secure RangeMan garage. Tank and I are running to get Steph and Ranger to safety. Stephanie, for once, is thinking with her heart and taking care of her girls. I grab her, cover her, and push her towards the elevator. Where the hell is Tank with Ranger? I look and see him struggling. Damn it, why are men so damn pig headed. Let's lock up the woman while we men fight. Doesn't Ranger realize how much stress he puts on Stephanie? I'm going to have a long conversation with him about HIS safety. Finally, Tank gets him to the elevator. He fobs them up and locks it down. While he calls control, I go to get Connie and end this once and for all.

 **Ranger's POV**

I hear the loud bang. My only thought is getting Stephanie to safety. I jump out of the car and run to the other side to get her out. Monica beats me to her and starts dragging and pulling her to the elevator, to safety. Tank is next to me and trying to push me towards he elevator as well. "Come on, Ranger, we to secure you and your woman."

"Let go of me, Tank. Just make sure that Steph is secure. I'm going after that bitch."

"No, Ranger, you are not. You need to stay with Steph on seven. Remember, no stress. She's going to go ballistic if you leave her side. Think of your little girls, Ranger, think of your girls." With that, Tank gets me in the elevator. I'm not staying up on seven while my building is under attack. I'm going to lock Steph in the apartment and then go back down to the garage using the stairs. I open the door for Stephanie and push her into the apartment. I give her a quick kiss and grab her key fob. Without it, she can't get in the elevator or the stairwell after I seal them. "Carlos, where do you think you're going?"

"Babe, I'm going downstairs to help."

She glares at me and puts her hands on her hips. "No, you are not. You are staying up here, in our apartment, with me and our daughters. You are not leaving me here to worry about your safety. Tank will come up when everything is settle. Now, get your ass in here." I just shake my head and start to head to the stairs. Then, I hear it, it's barely a whisper, but I hear it, "Please, Carlos, please."

I can't do that to my Babe. I can't hurt her when she's so fragile. I can hear the hitch in her voice. I sigh. "Okay, Babe, you win." I enter into the apartment and the magic begins.

 **Stephanie's POV**

What the heck is that noise? OMG, someone is trying to get into the garage. I can tell by the car that whoever it is, they don't belong here. What am I going to do? I get out of the car and Monica is next to me. She pulling and dragging me towards the elevator. I go with her. I need to keep these girls safe. We get to the elevator, but Carlos isn't here yet. How did I beat him? Finally, I see Tank push him in. The doors close. He is not happy. I can see he wants out. We arrive at seven and he opens the door. He pushes me in and kisses me. He turns to leave. I say, "Carlos, where do you think you're going?"

"Babe, I'm going downstairs to help."

What the hell? Why is okay for him to put himself in danger. Why isn't he thinking of me and our girls? I have to stop him. "No you are not. You are staying up here, in our apartment, with me and our daughters. You are not leaving me here to worry about your safety. Tank will come up when everything is settled. Now, get your ass in." I see he's not going to be listening to me. I finally say that word.

"Please, Carlos, Please." I'm trying not to cry, but I can't be without Carlos. He looks at me and his shoulders drop. He replies, "Okay, Babe, you win." He enters the apartment with me.

Once the door is closed and locked, I put my arms around his neck and I give him a kiss. I try to put as much heat as I can into the kiss. I feel that if I can get him worked up, he'll forget what's going on and will stay here with me. He responds to my heat with heat of his own. The fire spreads down my whole body. He presses a button by the door that puts seven on lock down mode. This prevents anyone from entering our apartment from the outside. I know he did that so Tank or Monica didn't enter after the situation was resolved. We started to undress each other, our need became too great. I was happy to be alive and with Carlos, I'm sure he was feeling the same way. I started to kiss his chest, his abs, working my way down his chiseled body, but he stopped me. He lifted me up and carried me to our bed. He gently placed me down on my back, but when he went to climb over me, I wiggled out and reversed our positions. "You first." I said. I went back to kissing him and slowly descended down his body. I wanted to make him moan and yell out my name. I knew just how to do that. I found his member and started to stroke it with my hands, teasing his head with my tongue. I could tell that he was enjoying what I was doing to him. Then, I took him member in my mouth. I slowly moved my mouth over his member, and after every few times I stopped to tease his head and lick it like an ice cream cone. I would build the pace and the amount of strokes with my mouth until I would feel him getting close, then I would stop to tease him again. After doing this at least six or seven times, he started to beg me to keep going. "Please, Babe, I'm so close." I decided to stop at that point. He tries to flip us, but I wouldn't let him. "Carlos, I'm not done." I started to rub my body against his erection, and I felt him get even harder, if that was even possible. I line us up, center to center, and slowly move him inside me. I bring myself up as high as I could until he is almost out before dropping back down again. I continue at this slow and excruciating pace, watching him battle for control. When I feel his climax approaching again, I pull myself off completely once again. I pull him up so that he is sitting, with his back against the headboard and straddle once again. I want to be able to kiss him while riding him. Now, I go faster. I feel him helping me to go deeper and faster. My mouth is on his and we reach our climax together. Now, Carlos takes very little time to flip me over.

His kisses run down my neck, my chest. He plays with my nipples, gently nipping them with his teeth. I want his talented mouth farther down, but he's not moving. I feel his hands rubbing the inside of my thighs, but he's not touching the promise land. I know that this is payback, but I hate waiting. He finally brings his mouth to my center and teasingly licks my clit. He runs his tongue from bottom to top between my folds. He sucks on my clit, but doesn't stay for long. Now, he puts his tongue inside me. Suddenly, his mouth is gone and he's repeating the process, only now with his fingers. He brings me to the brink and then stops to just kiss my mouth before starting all over again. He repeats this torture at four more times, each time bringing me closer to release before stopping. This time, though, while kissing me he puts his manhood inside me. "Carlos, please take me, take me now." He pushes fast and hard, going as deep as he can. He takes my leg and puts it on his shoulder to give him better entrance into me. I start to call out his name as we both climax once again together. He continues to pump inside me until we are completely done. Then, he smoothly turns us over and I lie in his arms.

"Babe, you have no idea how much I love you and how relieved I am that we are safe, and that you didn't try to fight tonight."

"I feel the same way. Until this threat is over, and even after, I don't want you to be my martyr. I need you with me to raise our family." I start to close my eyes and drift off to sleep when I hear the phone ring. Carlos reaches over me and picks up the phone. "Report." Some phone manners. "Okay. We'll be down later." He hangs up.

"Babe that was Tank. They got Connie. She's in holding. I told them we'll question her later, she's not going anywhere and we'll call the police when we are ready for them. Go to sleep."

"I can't go to sleep now! I want to go and talk to her." I try to extract myself from Carlos's arms, but he holds me tight.

"You need rest. Another hour or two won't matter. Look, I'll set my alarm for two hours, okay, then we can down together."

"Are you going to stay here with me?" I ask my husband.

"Yes."

"What about dinner?"

"Everyone can wait." With that, Carlos sends a text to Tank. _Dinner in 2 ½ hours on seven. Pass the word._

 **Tank POV**

Thank God I got Ranger on that elevator. I think Stephanie would have collapsed if I didn't get him there. I don't know why he is so pig headed. Doesn't he realize that Steph needs him to be safe? Monica, Lester, Cal, Hal, Bobby, and I are more than capable to get this bitch. We are approaching the car. Being that she hit the gate, her airbags all deployed and she seems to be unconscious. I call for Bobby to come to the car. We carefully open the door. Connie practically falls out the car. We grab her and put her in cuffs. "What were you thinking Connie? You could've killed yourself." I said while shaking my head.

"What does it matter to you? Once again, you got that pussy whipped Ranger to run and hide."

She's putting up a fight. She obviously doesn't want to be here, but I don't care. We bring her down to the holding cell and I let Bobby exam her. She has a lot of bumps and bruises from the crash, but no broken bones. Bobby patches up some of her more serious cuts, and then we leave her in the holding cell attached to the chair with shackles. I pick up my phone and call Carlos. He answers. "Report."

"Connie is secured. Bobby checked her over, no serious injuries just some bumps and bruises. She's in the holding cell."

"We'll be down later." Ranger disconnects.

"Well, what did he say? Are he and Steph coming down now?" Lester asked.

"No, he said they'll be down later."

"I guess that means that we're on our own for dinner." Cal sighed before continuing. "I was looking forward to having dinner on seven. Steph seems like she needs some support."

With that, my phone pings. I check my incoming text message. It's from Ranger. _Dinner in 2 ½ hours on seven. Pass the word._ I tell everyone, "Dinner is in 2 ½ hours on seven." With that, we go up to control to find something to do to kill the time.

 **Stephanie's POV**

"Steph, Babe, you need to wake up." I hear Carlos as he is gently placing kisses on my face. "Everyone will be here in a half hour, I'm sure you want to freshen up."

Ugh. I'm too comfortable to move, but I guess I must. I slowly sit up and pull the cover up with me. I know that it's only me and Carlos in the room, but I'm not as confident with my body to just sit here with my chest exposed. Carlos laughs at me. "Babe, I've seen them many time and as a matter of fact, I was just enjoying them a couple of hours ago."

"I know, I'm just a little self-conscience about my body."

"You shouldn't be, you're beautiful. Te quiero, mi amor."

"I love you too." I get up and go the to the bathroom to freshen up. I look in the mirror. Eeek! My hair! I wet it and throw it up in a pony. I put on some mascara and go put on my RangeMan uniform, which consists of black maternity yoga style pants and one of Carlos's RangeMan t-shirts, being that mine no longer fit me. I enter into the dining room as Ella is finishing setting up dinner.

"The food smells delicious, Ella. I hope it wasn't too much work for you."

"No, no problem at all. I enjoy feeding you and my boys, and Monica." I reached over and gave her a hug and kiss. She smiled as she walked out of the apartment. Two minutes later, there was a knock, and the rest poured inside. We all walk into the dining room and start to eat the feast. We finished about an hour later. Then, Tank asked, "What is our approach with Connie? We have to call in TPD soon."

"I need to talk to her, to find out why. I don't understand what she has against me or Ranger. I thought she was once of my friends. I need to understand why." I stated.

"That's a good idea. You and Ranger are going to go in together?"

"No. She'll be expecting that and I want her off. I want to go in with Monica. If she thinks it's a talk between 'us girls' she may reveal more than she would with Ranger in the room."

"That sounds like a plan." Monica replied. With that we all get up and head down to the holding cells. When we get off the elevator, Carlos pulls me aside, "Are you sure you're okay with this. You don't have to do this."

"I'm fine Carlos." With that, I give him a kiss. Monica and I go over to the cell and look in. I can see that Connie is upset and scared. I look at Monica and we nod. We know it's time. I open the door.

"Connie, how are you feeling? Are you hurt?" I ask. I could tell it caught her off guard.

"I'll live. Where's Ranger? Too scared to come in to me?"

"Connie, why? Why did you set me up? Why are you trying to hurt me? I need to understand."

"Stephanie, believe it or not, but this really isn't about you, at least not directly. For me, it all starts with your husband. Your husband ruined my life, and now I am ruining his. It's only fair, an eye for an eye. Only it took me over ten years to realize that he was he one."

"What are you talking about?"

"My cousin lives in Georgia. She told me that every November, when the Rangers graduated, there was always a lot of celebrating going on in the local bars and towns. She said the night before graduation and graduation night were the best nights. A few girls have even met their husbands then." I got a vision of "Officer and a Gentleman" in my mind, and I could see Connie trolling for her 'officer'. "I was at the bar with my cousin and I saw the most unbelievable gorgeous man I've ever seen. I knew that he was mine. I saw him glace over at me multiple times, but there was little blond twerp next to him, hanging on his every word. I could see she was throwing herself at him, but he wasn't interested. Finally, she left alone and he came over to me. We had a couple of drinks, we talked and we danced, then we went back to my hotel room. We made love that night. I swear, he ruined me for all other men. When I woke, he was gone, but I wasn't surprised. Then, the next night, we went back out again and I saw him. I went to approach, but he left with the blond twerp before I could go over to him. About a month later, I found out I was pregnant. I knew that it was his child, but I couldn't find him. I decided to have the baby anyway. I knew that he had family in NJ and I figured, eventually, I'd bump into him. I brought out baby to term, and when I delivered, the baby was still born. Apparently, the cord was wrapped around his neck. I was devastated. The birth was complicated, and I was bleeding too much, so I had to have a hysterectomy. When my cousin came to visit a year ago, she recognized Ranger as being that man from that bar in Georgia. When I looked up his Ranger school graduation, it all came together. I never realized that Ranger was the father of my baby. I was so annoyed that you, a little nitwit who can't do anything right, had caught Ranger's eye. I didn't understand it. What did he see in you? How did he not recognize me? That's when I knew I had to take you out of the picture to get Ranger. Joe went along because he just wanted you away from Ranger so he could marry you. You should have said yes to Joe. We were working together to get the two people we wanted most of all. Then, Joe found out from your mom that MY FATHER was YOUR FATHER! I hated you even more then. My dad did nothing but ask me how you were after each of your disaster and how you were coping. I didn't understand why at first, but now it is clear. He was asking how his DAUGHTER was. Now, when I confronted him, he told me the whole story. Do you know that if you were a boy, he would have claimed you and taken you from your mother. She wanted him to do that. But, alas, you were a girl. When he found out what I did, he disowned me, his daughter, for you, a whore. So, it became even more important for me to end you. Joe's not done. He is out right now waiting to get you. And when he does, you will be his wife and Ranger will be where he belongs with me."

"Connie, Joe was arrested tonight. It's over. He's back in custody. I will never be with Joe again. And as for the blond twerp, she's sitting in this room and she has a much different memory from 'that night'."

"You, you are the one who stole him from me! You fucking slut!"

"Connie, I know Ranger better than you, and we were in Ranger school together. Ranger was and is one of my best friends. He was there to help me in a time when things went horribly wrong for me. The night that you were together was the same day that I found out that even though I finished Ranger school and was graduating number two in the class, I was not going on. I was a woman, so I wasn't qualified to be a Ranger in the eyes of the Army. Ranger knew how upset I was and went out that night to keep me company. I was in love with him, but looking back on it, I know that I loved him as my brother, not my lover. He felt and feels that same way about me. Ranger was a womanizer. He only slept with women for the physical release, not for any emotional attachment. He didn't spend the night with you, he left you right after you were done. He was in my barrack at 3 am to make sure I got home okay. The next night, after graduation, I was too upset to truly enjoy my accomplishments, so after we went to the bar, Ranger took me out for ice cream to help me feel better. We never were together, but until Stephanie, he never wanted to be in a relationship beyond sex with anyone. I can tell you, he never thought about you after that night. He probably doesn't even remember that night. As for your child, I'm sure if he knew, he would've helped you, like he did Rachel, but I know that after Rachel, he never had unprotected sex so I find it hard to believe that the child you carried was Ranger's child." Monica told Connie.

"No, you're wrong. We were connected. We are meant to be."

"Then how come Carlos never remembered you? He's been working for Vinnie for how many years and he never, ever recognized you. What makes you think that he would go back to you?" I asked gently. "And remember, you and Lula kept pushing me toward Ranger and away from Joe. So, you didn't even realize it at the time."

"You're wrong. Ranger is my man, and you don't deserve him." Connie was starting to get agitated. Suddenly, the door opened and Carlos walked in. He looked at Monica and I, and signaled for me to leave. I wasn't sure why, but I did as he asked. When I walked out, Lester took me to observation area so I could watch what was going on.

 **Ranger's POV**

"Connie, you need to leave Stephanie and me alone. There will never be an 'us'. I didn't even remember anything about that night until you just told the story. I'm sorry about what happened. I was an ass back then. I used women because I could. So many women there, just throwing themselves at me, why wouldn't I take advantage of their desire. You were another one of those women. I don't even think I asked for your name, and if I did, I would have forgotten it the moment I left you. I never stayed beyond the time it took for me to get my release. If you got a release or not, it didn't concern me. The only reason why I remember anything is the significance of the date, being around graduation. Monica is right about me. The one and only woman I have ever spent the night with is my wife, is Stephanie. And if you were carrying my child, then I'm sorry that you went through that. If I had known, I never would have let you go through that on your own. But you need to leave Stephanie alone, you need to leave our children alone, and you need to leave me alone. The cops will be here soon to take you away."

"But Ranger, you and me are meant to be. Don't you see that? Why can't you dump Stephanie and come to me, then everything will be the way it should have been."

"What role did Stephanie's mom play in this?"

"She was the catalyst. She told me that her daughter was making the wrong decision in not marrying Joe and that she wanted her away from your bad influence. That you were making her a whore, and if that is what she was, then she needed to be treated as such. She said that she needed to learn her lesson and that maybe, if she was raped and knew that if was you who set her up, she would finally learn her lesson and settle down with Joe. She came to visit me in the bond office about two weeks before I gave her the file. She said that it would also be payback to Vinnie for giving her a job in the first place, because she would quit, and you would stop working for him. And she would be able to make her pay for being born. She ruined Ellen's life, and now Ellen was set on ruining Steph's life. I know that my dad was her father, all he did was brag about how much spunk she has and how different she is. I think he would've preferred to have her live with us, but that wouldn't have gone over well in the Burg. He was furious when he found out that Ellen and Frank used the money he gave them for Steph's college to pay for Valerie's school and her wedding. Not mention, Stephanie is in his will. She will get what belongs to me. That's why I helped, to show my dad that I am the better daughter and that Steph is nobody."

I was in shock. I couldn't believe that Steph's mother was behind all of this. I could only image what Steph was going through. I needed to get to her. Without another word, I walked to the door and went to Stephanie.

 **Stephanie's POV**

OMG! My mother, my own mother set me up. She wanted me to be raped so I would marry Joe. How fucked up is my life. I can't breathe. I'm so angry and scared and upset. Lester wraps his arms around me and comforts me. "Beautiful, everything is okay. Don't cry, you're going to make me cry." He was supporting me fully. Then, I felt him enter, and I smelled the Bulgari, Carlos was here. Carlos takes me from Lester's arms and picks me up. He sits on the chair in the room and places me on his lap. "I'm so sorry Babe. Te queiro, tu eres mi vida, mi amor. Tu eres hermosa."

I just sit there and take comfort from my husband, the first person who truly loves me for me. I know for sure now that I have no biological family anymore. My only family are my Merry Men and Monica. I feel so dejected and rejected. How can someone hate their child that much?

"Boss," Tank said, "TPD is here. You and Steph should go upstairs."

Carlos stands with me in his arms and carries me to the elevator where we go up to seven.

 **Author's Note: Sorry about the delay. Life came in the way and I lost my muse. I rewrote this chapter about 3 times and hope you liked the way it turned out. I figure we have about 2-3 more chapters left in this story. I am already circulating ideas in my mind for my next, unrelated Babe story. Please keep the review coming, they are pushing me to finish this story for all of you.** **Thank you for following the story and writing your reviews.**


	27. Chapter 27--Revenge

Chapter 27—Revenge

I am so emotionally spent after hearing what Connie said. I just don't understand how someone can do that to their child. She carried me around inside her for nine months, she raised me, but she hated me. I am already so in love with my girls that I want nothing to happen to them. Carlos and I reach our apartment and he puts me down when we get inside. I walk to the bathroom and strip along the way. I turn on the shower and step inside. I feel dirty and unworthy. I just want to change who I am. I don't want to be Stephanie anymore. I want a new life. I start to cry and go down to my knees under the shower spray. I feel him before I feel his arms. Carlos was in the shower with me and was kneeling next to me. "Babe, it's okay. I love you. You love me. We are going to be parents in less than 5 months. We have Ella and Luis, we have the men here and Monica. You have my family. We all love you with all our hearts. You bring such light into our lives. Please, don't do this yourself. We will figure out a way to deal with all of this together."

"Carlos, I don't know if I can stay here in Trenton. I don't know if I can face the people I've known my whole life once this gets out. I never thought of leaving here, but now I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to take you away from your business. I want to work for you and I want to keep chasing skips, but I can't do that here."

"Babe, we can go to Miami, we can go to Boston. Wherever you want to go, we can go. We can go somewhere else in the world. I don't care. If I am with you, I am home. I don't need to work, Babe. I have enough money that neither one of us ever needs to work again. I do it because I like to. If you want to move to another part of Jersey we can. We don't need to stay here in Haywood. We can commute from the beach house. I don't care."

"I need to confront my mother, but I don't know how to. I thought I was done with her after dinner, now I find out all this. I hate my life. I hate who I am. I don't want to be Stephanie anymore. I want to be someone else."

"Remember, you are not just Stephanie, though Stephanie is the most amazing woman I have ever meet. You are also Mrs. Carlos Manoso, and my Babe. You need to see yourself through my eyes. You are the most wonderful woman I have ever met." Carlos helps to rinse me off before shutting off the water. He wraps one of his large, super fluffy towels around me and grabs another towel to dry my hair. He takes another towel and wraps it around himself after drying himself off. We went into the closet and he handed me comfortable panties and one of his t-shirts. He put on his silk boxers and we went into the bedroom. "Come on, Babe, let's go to sleep, we'll talk about it in the morning. You'll feel better after a good night's rest." We both got into bed and I snuggled up against Carlos like I do every night and fell asleep instantaneously.

I feel kisses on my face and my neck. I feel hands moving down my body. My brain is starting to wake up when other parts of my body are already awake. I open my eyes and see Carlos kissing my body. "Good morning, does my husband know you're here?" I tease.

"Yes, he does, he asked me to wake you up by rocking your world." After placing two sweet kisses on my bump and saying "Buenos dias, mi hijitas." Carlos moves his mouth down to my center. He doesn't waste time teasing or going slow, he immediately attacks my clit and hits my g-spot with his fingers. I come within seconds. He keeps going and going, not releasing me from his mouth. I am writhing with sensitivity and excitement. He brings me to another climax. Then, he's on top of me and inside me. He kisses my mouth and I get to taste myself on his lips. I love it. He slips his hand between us and plays with my clit while pumping into me. I have another organism and he is still building to his own.

"Harder, Carlos, I want you harder and faster."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He adjusts my legs up over his shoulders, which lefts my hips up and allows his to go deeper inside me. He hits my g=spot with every thrust and within minutes, we come together as we both scream out each other's names. Carlos lays on his back and pulls me on top of him while our heart rate returns to normal. "That was some wake up call. I could get used to that." I said sheepishly. "I'm getting in the shower and _don't_ follow me." I get out of bed and go to the bathroom. I take my shower, fix my hair and put on makeup. I go into the closet and get dressed in another one of my RangeMan uniforms. When I go into the kitchen, I see oatmeal with fresh fruit and brown sugar. "Ugh, another tasteless, healthy breakfast."

Carlos laughs, "Yes, Babe, nutritious and good for you and the girls."

I eat my oatmeal and then it's time to discuss the day. "What do you want to do about your mother, Babe? You know she is a conspirator in all that has happened."

"I know, and she needs to be punished, but I'm not sure how I want to do it." I pause to consider some options. "You know, once it hits the Burg finds out about Connie and Joe, I may not need to go to Ellen. She may just show up here, which would be good because then we can get her on record. All of the conference rooms are set up for video and audio, right?"

"Yes, and I have the standard disclosure on the sign in documentation that you are under surveillance once you enter into the building. I would hold up in court."

"Maybe we need to feed the vultures a little." As much as I like my privacy, I am thinking that more and more that Trenton will no longer be our home. I don't think I want to raise my girls in this cruel and critical town. Maybe the beach house is the way to go.

"Babe, are you sure you want to attract that much attention to you, and to us?"

"It's not like it's anything new. Everyone is always talking about me for something. I just don't fit the Burg mold. Since being with you, since our marriage, I have been beyond happy at home. I am getting excited to become a mom, which is something that I never imagined I would say. I love being here, in our penthouse and with the Merry Men and Monica. But, outside of this building, I don't fit. I love SP, and I can see living there on weekends and here during the week, at least while the girls are small. I want to be a mom, and I want to be a better mom than my mom was. I don't really care what people say about me anymore because they don't matter to me. I care what the people in this building think of me." I stop and walk over to sit on his lap. I put my arm around him and rest my head against his. "I care how you see me and what you think of me. That's whose opinion is important."

"And I love you, all of you. From your crazy curls to your beautiful, expressive blue eyes, to your perfect lips and luscious body. I love your ability to see the good in everyone you meet and your ability to put people at ease. I love your stubbornness, your tenacity, and your fragility. I love you completely." Carlos states before I lean in to kiss him. The phone rings and breaks up the moment. Carlos picks it up. "Yo." "Really, that's interesting." "Conference room 2 and make sure they sign in." He hangs up the phone.

"Your parents are here. Do you want me with you?"

"Yes. Always." We rise and leave our apartment to confront the woman who brought me into this world.

 **Ellen's POV**

I can't believe that little slut found out. Now, it's all over the Burg. Everyone is calling me. This is so embarrassing. Valerie is even getting hassled. And she is living in this building with these thugs, where I have to sign in to see my daughter. Not that I really consider her my daughter, but the Burg still does. I must make her drop the charges against Connie and Joe. Then, she must divorce this Manoso guy and marry Joe. That's the only way we will ever be able to live in the Burg. If she doesn't, I'll just let everyone know that she is a whore and is sleeping with every man here. That way, I can publicly disown her and force her to leave Trenton. Now some guy with tattoos on his face is coming near us. Ugh.

"You here for Estephania?" Hector asked.

"I'm here to see Stephanie, my daughter."

"Si, Estephania. Vamos." He turns and walks away. I guess this means I'm supposed to follow him. He's repulsive. And he can't even speak English. He escorts Frank and I to the elevator and presses something on his key chain. The doors close and we ascend to the second floor. The elevator opens and he brings us to a conference room. The door opens and he walks to my daughter. "Estephania, Angelita, your parents." She gives him a hug and kiss on the cheek then says, "Gracias, mi hermano."

She sits and that thug, that Cuban, is sitting next to her and holding her hands. She is such an embarrassment.

"Stephanie, dear, I prefer to speak to you alone."

"Ellen, you will not speak to me unless Carlos is here. This is our business and our home, and you will respect our wishes. If you cannot, I will have escorted out of the building."

"How dare you call me Ellen. I am your mother."

"You ceased being my mother the moment I found out what you did to me. How you convinced Joe and Connie to set me up to be raped, to have that bastard try to turn me away from the only person I know who fully supports me and love me for who I am. All so I could be miserable and married to Joe, a man who doesn't love me for me, but for who he thinks I will become, the consummate Burg housewife, who pops out babies and stays home to clean the house and serve dinner at six precisely each night. Well, that is not me. My husband doesn't care that I work, he doesn't care that I don't prepare dinner. We have Ella to do that for us. He values my abilities, and does whatever he can to make me happy. Just because _you_ don't want me, doesn't mean that there isn't someone in the world who does want me. His name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso and he is my husband."

"I see how well he takes care of you, living in this building with all these men. It's disgusting."

"We live here because we choose to. It is an easy commute to work each day, down a few flights of stairs. But, we don't have to stay here. This isn't my only home. We have two other penthouses in Miami and Boston, we have a house here in Jersey, in Pennsylvania, in Maine, in Massachusetts, and two in Florida. I have brand new fully loaded cars. And, I have a man who loves me and shows me that he loves me every day. My girls will want for nothing, they will be loved and will have any material item that they may need. I have escaped your abusive home finally."

"You mean to tell me that you just married him for his money. That's despicable."

"I didn't even know about any of the properties other than the businesses until after we were married. But none of Carlo's wealth matters, because even if he only had $100 to his name, I would still love him and he would still love me. He is always proud of me and he will allow me to fly."

Flying, huh. That's all she ever wanted, was to fly. What at pathetic joke of an idea. Stephanie, dear, listen to reason. Joe Morelli is a good man, he's Italian and he comes from a good family. He would make the perfect husband for you. You need to divorce this, this, thug and marry Joe."

She's sitting there, staring at me and glaring at me. I don't know how I raised such a disrespectful girl.

"Ellen, I know Jimmy Rizzoli is my father, not Frank. I know you were raped and that you never wanted me. I know you hated me. But, how could you purposely hurt me? How could you make someone else do to me what was done to you? Would you ever consider doing that to Valerie? I realize now why I never got what I really wanted growing up. It was because you wanted me miserable. All you did was dote on Valerie. I got punished my Joe molested me, I got punished when he raped me and stole my virginity. I was always wrong. Why did you take my father's money and use it for Valerie's college?"

"Because Valerie was the one who deserved it. She was the proper Burg daughter. You weren't. And if Connie and Joe were such screw ups, you would be married to Joe right now. But, I will take matters into my own hands." Out of my bag, I pull out my mother's gun and point it out her precious 'husband'. Once I take care of him, I'll take care of the brats she's carrying.

 **Stephanie's POV**

OMG! My mother is holding a gun! And she's pointed it at Carlos! "What are you doing? Are you fucking crazy?"

"Stephanie, the choice is yours. Walk out of this building with me, file for a divorce, and marry Joe and he'll get to live. Stay here, and he dies, and then you can marry Joe."

"I will do neither. Carlos is my husband, my lover, and my soul mate. If you choose to kill him, you'll have to kill me first." I say as I walk in front of my husband and sit on his lap. I see Hector and Tank enter the room. Ellen is too focused on me to realize.

"You leave me no choice then." She lowers the gun so it's pointed at my abdomen. My girls! Carlos pushes me to the floor as Hector disarms my mother. Tank has her in cuffs. I get up and look at Frank.

"What do you have to say about this? After all, it was your gambling that got us into this mess."

"You were a curse from the night you were conceived. I should have pushed your mother down the stairs when we found out so then you would have never been born."

Tank pulls a gun out from behind my Frank's back. He's in cuffs too. "I'll call TPD to come and get them. Attempted murder should be enough to keep them out of your life for good." Tank states.

Carlos guided me out of the room. "Tank, we'll be in my office and will be available to make a statement for the next hour."

April has finally arrived. My biological mother, who I refer to as my incubator, was charged with two counts of attempted murder and conspiracy. Her trial is set for next month. I am in my final trimester of pregnancy and have been ordered on bedrest. I spend weekdays with Carlos at Haywood, and we spend extend weekends at SP. I have gestational diabetes, so I must watch my diet, which Carlos is excelling at. We have not been allowed to make love for four weeks already. This morning is my baby shower. Carlos's mother and Ella are throwing it for me. Even though I have very few people on my invite list, there will still be about 50 women there. Carlos has a big family. After having a breakfast of an egg omelet with spinach, peppers and cheese and one slice of toast, I get up to bring my dish to the sink. Suddenly, a feel a gush of liquid escape. At first, I thought I peed in my pants, but then I realize that my water broke. Oh shit. I'm only 32 weeks along! "Carlos, come here, now."

"Babe, what's wrong?"

"My water broke."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm going to take a quick shower then we have to go to the hospital. Make sure to call your mom to tell her the party must go on and call my doctor so they know I'm coming in."

Twenty minutes later we are out the door and heading to the hospital. It's only a 15-minute ride over and we get there and rush to maternity. The resident doesn't want to deliver them yet, so she orders a sonogram to determine if I have enough amniotic fluid present. I will be on bed rest in the hospital until these girls are born. The resident starts to do the sonogram.

"Start prepping the OR. These girls are arriving today."

"What do you mean, today? I'm only 32 weeks. It's too soon."

"Well, one of your little girls is presenting her toe in the birth canal. You need an emergency C-section. Let's get the ball rolling."

Carlos is given paperwork to fill out and helps to admit me to the hospital. The nurses are running around putting IVs in both lines. I look at them and don't understand why I need two lines. "Often, with twins, you may need additional fluids or a transfusion, so it's easier to have everything set up."

The contractions are coming, but I'm told not to push. I can't get an epidural because I'm too far along in labor. The anesthesiologist comes in to give me the spinal for the C-section. Carlos has to leave the room. Once the drugs kick in, I can't feel anything below my diaphragm. They put up a sheet so I can't see what they are doing, and Carlos is sitting next to me, in the OR, in his protective gown and clothing, holding my hand. He's murmuring to me in Spanish. I have no clue what he's saying, but I love the sound of it. The nurse walks to me to explain what is happening.

"Stephanie, you have a team of three doctors and three nurses. Once each of your daughters are delivered, an additional team of fours nurses will come in for each child. Once they are clean, they will be taken directly to the neonatal ICU, or NICU, for evaluation and care. Once the drugs wear off, you will be allowed to spend time with them in NICU. They will not be in your room."

I'm sad that I won't be able to hold my girls, but I know they need all the help they can get. At 12:09 pm, our first daughter is born, Isabella Michelle Manoso. She's 4 lbs. 3 oz., which according the nurse is fairly large for a preemie. Her sister enters the world at 12:11 pm and weighs 4 lbs. 2 oz. We name her Karla Rosa Manoso.

Five hours later, I'm finally allowed to formally meet my girls. Carlos was allowed to go into NICU an hour after they were born, but he wanted to wait for me before he would go and see them. They are two beautiful girls.

The baby shower went on without me. Lester, Bobby, Tank and Hector brought all of the unopened gifts to SP. Monica helped to make sure the nursery was set up. The girls had to stay in NICU for a while. Karla was released on May 14th and Isabella on May 17th. Finally, almost a month after they were born, we were finally a family at home.

I was surprised at how easy being a mother came to me, but I loved how Carlos interacted. I had wanted to breast feed, but with them being born so young, I wasn't able to for the first two weeks. I had to pump breast milk exclusively. Isabella had an undeveloped suck reflex, so it was better to bottle feed her so we knew exactly how much she ate. It would take over an hour to feed her a once of milk. Karla had no issues, but I was difficult to keep up milk production without them actively nursing. So, once they were doing better, I decided to give up breast feeding and give them formula. This worked out well because Carlos was able to feed them with me, and it allowed for Ella to help us when I was at work. I took on new roles at RangeMan. I did searches still, but I also did the scheduling and met with private clients along with Carlos or Tank. The girls would stay in my office or Carlos's whenever we were there, but if we were both out, Ella took over. I was loving being a mother.


	28. Chapter 28--Epilogue

Epilogue

 **Unknown Observer POV**

6 years later

Isabella and Karla were turning 6 in two days. Stephanie was having a hard time getting everything ready for their party on her own. She did a lot of things solo in the last year. She was a full time, stay at home mom, and was loving every minute of it. In addition to the twins, she had two other children, 4-year-old Carlos Juan (CJ) Manoso and 2-year-old Marco Stephen Manoso. She had C-sections with each birth, and she and Carlos decided that Marco would be their last. She had her tubes tied when she gave birth. Ten months ago, Carlos was informed that he had to go on one more mission. Even though his contract was done, he had infiltrated a foreign drug cartel years ago and his cover was never blown. He was specifically requested to take care of the problem. The night he left was the hardest night for Stephanie. She wasn't sure if she would ever see Carlos again. They spent their last night making love and the morning as a family. She took a picture of them as a family of six and then a picture with just the two of them. She still loved him just as much as she always had.

They were living in the beach house, SP. The girls were in a private school and the boys were home with Stephanie. She worked for RangeMan once a week, handling the schedules, payroll, and overseeing all contracts. Tank was running RangeMan in Carlos's absence, but both he and Stephanie had to sign off on all major expenses. She hadn't heard from her husband in nine months. She knew this was a long-term operation, but she was starting to worry that he may never return.

"Hey, Steph, what else do you need me to do?" Monica asked. She and Bobby got married five years before and they have a 3-year-old son. She and Stephanie were still partners in crime, just more domesticated.

"Nope, I'm all set. Just wondering about Carlos."

Ellen Plum was convicted of a load of charges and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. She didn't last six months. Frank Plum was never charged, but he disappeared one morning and was found washed up along the Delaware three days later. Edna Plum died in her sleep two years ago, while living with Valerie. Valerie was all alone. Her two ex-husbands had custody of their respective girls, and Angie Morelli had custody of Joe's baby. She struggled to make ends meet and was living in Lula's old apartment.

Connie spend three years in prison before her Family put a hit on her. She didn't survive a riot, shanked by a fellow inmate. Joe, being an ex-cop, had a hard time in prison. He was constantly beat up and took his own life two days after Ranger departed. Jimmy, it turns out, never raped Ellen. They had a five-year affair, and Stephanie was the result of that affair. He explained to Stephanie that her mother was mentally unstable, and should have been on medication, but stopped taking it when she was pregnant with Stephanie. She never started again, so her reality was altered. He has been helping Stephanie and they have developed a good relationship. Jimmy produced over 200 letters that were written between Ellen and himself, which only proved that he never raped her.

Isabella and Karla get off the school bus as Stephanie watched them from the porch. They come running up to her. "Mommy, I think daddy's back." Isabella said. "I've felt him all day" Karla added. Both girls seemed to have inherited Stephanie's Spidey sense. They had their father's skin tone, but everything else about them was their mother, right down to their blue eyes and unruly brown curls. Stephanie hugged her minis and replied, "I feel him too, mi hijas."

CJ came into the room to see his sisters. They always brought him home a picture that they would make for him in school. He came to claim it. Marco was still napping.

"Girls, are you excited for your party?" Monica asked them.

"Yes, Aunt Monica. We can't wait!" Both girls replied in unison. The girls had the RangeMan ESP that always drove Stephanie nuts. She knows that because they are identical twins, that isn't uncommon, especially between each other. Stephanie ushers the kids into the kitchen for cookies and milk before homework. Just as she finishes putting everything on the table, the hair on the back of her neck stands up. Carlos. She feels him, but it's not the same. The doorbell rings. Stephanie rushes to answer it while Monica stays with the kids. She opens the door to find two men dressed in Army uniforms standing on her porch.

"Carlos, is he…"

"I'm sorry to inform you, Mrs. Manoso, but your husband has passed away. His mission was a success, and we caught the bad guy, but he didn't make it. The United States thanks your husband for his service and would like to present you with this posthumous Purple Heart. Here are his dog tags, Ma'am."

 **Stephanie's POV**

 **2 weeks later**

I awake with a start. I feel myself start to sob. It was only a dream, Stephanie, get a grip! I've had this dream every night for the last two weeks, ever since learning that Joe killed himself. As much as Joe ruined my life and was an asshole, there was still a small part of me that loved him. I glance at the clock, great, three thirty. I'll never get back to sleep. Suddenly, I hear the door open and the alarm chirp on and off. I reach for my Sig and engage the safety. I'm ready to shoot if need be. Then, I feel him, Carlos. He knocks on the door and says "Babe" before opening. I click off the safety, put the gun on the nightstand, and jump out of bed into his waiting arms.

"Carlos, I've missed you so much. I can't believe you're home!" We kiss and start to peel away our clothes when we hear two small voices, "Daddy, you're back!" Isabella and Karla open their door and come running to daddy. They are both daddy's little girls.

"I'm officially discharged. I'm home for good." Carlos bends down and picks up both of his daughters. "Queridas, you should be sleeping."

"We'll go to sleep now. We felt you come in and wanted to see you." Isabella replies before saying good night to her father.

"Buenos noches, papa," Karla adds.

 **Ranger's POV**

 **20 years later**

I can't believe it. My Isabella is getting married. To an Army Ranger, like her father. She and Peter have known each other their whole lives. They grew up next to each other. I walk into the bridal suite so I can escort her down the aisle and giver her away. I look at her and my breathe leaves my body. She looks exactly like her mother did on our wedding day. "Mi hija, eres tan Hermosa. You remind me so much of your mother, especially wearing her gown today."

"I feel like Mommy is with us, like she's here in the room with us."

Karla adds "I feel her too."

I take solace in what they say, because they have Stephanie's Spidey sense. I haven't been able to feel her near me since that night six months ago when I got the interruption that would destroy my world.

 _Tank is calling my office. I'm on DND. I have an important client in my office right now. I pick up the phone "Report, and this better be good."_

" _Boss, you need to come down to conference room one immediately. It's an emergency." Tank tells me._

" _I'll be right there." I excuse myself from the client. I enter the room and see Eddie Gazarra and Carl Costanza in the room. They are both detectives for TPD. "How can I help you, gentlemen?"_

" _Ranger, you need to sit down." Carl says. He waits for me to sit before continuing, "Stephanie was in an accident. She was crossing the street in front of Tasty Pastry when a drunk driver hit her. She was gone before the EMTs arrived."_

 _No, they're wrong. There's no way that she is gone. I click some buttons on the computer. Her tracker watch is at the morgue. Wait, at the morgue, what is she doing there? It hits me that she is really gone. I let out a scream and collapse onto my knees. My Babe is gone. My phone rings. It's Karla. "Karla?"_

" _Daddy, she's gone, isn't she?"_

" _Yes, mi hija."_

" _We'll be there in ten minutes."_

"Isabella, it's time."

I walk her down the aisle in church. I see Karla waiting up front as she is the maid of honor, and CJ and Marco are there, standing parade rest in their Army uniforms. Both were granted leave to be at their sister's wedding. The boys were overseas when their mother died, and took it hard because they couldn't return for the funeral. We had a small memorial service three days ago, which was the first time that my children were together since the holidays. CJ and Marco look mostly like me, except they have my Babe's blue eyes. CJ has one more tour before he is discharged, at which time he will join RangeMan. Marco will follow when his tours are over. Isabella and Karla are researchers for RangeMan, and have taken over their mother's job. I bought out Tank, Lester and Bobby after Stephanie's death so that our children could run the company. They had no complaints and still work there. I hand over my daughter to her fiancé and sit in my seat. As they stand there an exchange their vows, I feel Stephanie once again. That night, after the party is over and the bride and groom have left, I get ready for bed. Before Isabella leaves, she says to me "Daddy, I love you and I will always love you. You are the reason why I found Peter. I will miss you, though, every day and I will miss mommy. Tell her I love her."

I sit on the bed and look at picture from my wedding day and once again feel Stephanie. "Babe, are you there? God, how I miss you. Why did you leave me, mi amor, mi vida? Isabella is your clone and reminds me of you so much. Babe, I love you." I lie down, close my eyes, and I am finally reunited with my Babe.

 **Karla's POV**

Here we are, four days after Isa's wedding and we are saying goodbye to Daddy. He died in his sleep on Isa's wedding night, apparent from a heart attack. He wasn't the same man once Mommy died, but knowing that Isa's wedding was approaching kept his motivated to live. We know that Mommy came for him. Their love was so strong and powerful. I only hope to have that kind of love one day for a man and I hope he loves me like that. Isabella and Peter delayed their honeymoon to say goodbye. All the men who have ever worked for RangeMan are present, including several high ranking military members. After all the speeches and the gravesite ceremony, the masses begin to leave. Our Merry Men, as mom always called them, are waiting for us to say our goodbyes before taking us to the diner when our parents met where we are having the funeral lunch. Isa and I start to walk away with our brothers, but we both stop. We sense our parents. We wait to hear them. Finally, we hear mom "My beautiful girls, never change who you are for anyone. Find a man who loves you for you and who will let you fly. Isabella, you found him in Peter. Karla, you will find him too. Make sure your brothers find the right woman. Use your Spidey sense to guide them. I love you all very much."

Dad then says "Mi hijas, you were a blessing to us, you made us realize how much we really loved each other. You have been so good to me since mommy left, but now, I am with her and we are happy. Until we meet again. I love all of you. Good bye."

Tears are streaming down our faces because we know that we won't feel them ever again. They are together for eternity. May they rest in peace.

The End

 **Author's Note: Thank you all for following me on this journey. I hope I tied up all the loose ends and you are satisfied with the demise of our villains. I know this was a tear jerker ending, but I believe that their love was so strong that if one died, the other would shortly their after. I didn't plan on this ending, but I hoped it fits.**

 **Thank you for all your review, you help to fuel me to move forward. I already have an idea for another Babe story, but different from this one. I hope to post the first chapter in the next few days. Follow me for update. I don't have a title yet.**

 **Once again, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEWS.**


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